FOREIGN AND COMMONWEALTH AFFAIRS

Council of Ministers

Margaret Curran: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs which UK delegations to EU Council of Ministers meetings since May 2010 have included a representative of the Scottish Government; who each such representative was; what was discussed at each such meeting; and what decisions were taken at each such meeting.

David Lidington: Scottish Government Ministers regularly attend as part of the UK delegation to EU Council meetings. Foreign and Commonwealth Office records indicate that Scottish Government Ministers have formed part of the UK delegation to Council meetings on at least 16 occasions since October 2012 (see following list). Council meetings cover a wide range of topics and deliberations are publicly available on the European Council website. It is not possible to list representatives, agendas and outcomes of every meeting since May 2010 without incurring disproportionate cost.
	
		
			 Meeting DATE Scottish Government representative 
			 Agriculture and Fisheries Council 16-17 December 2013 Richard Lochhead MSP, Cabinet Secretary for Rural Affairs and the Environment 
			 Agriculture and Fisheries Council 17-18 October 2013 Richard Lochhead MSP, Cabinet Secretary for Rural Affairs and the Environment 
			 Environment Council 14 October 2013 Paul Wheelhouse MSP, Minister for Environment and Climate Change 
			 Agriculture and Fisheries Council 23 September 2013 Richard Lochhead MSP, Cabinet Secretary for Rural Affairs and the Environment 
			 Agriculture and Fisheries Council 15 July 2013 Paul Wheelhouse MSP, Minister for Environment and Climate Change (standing in for Richard Lochhead) 
			 Agriculture and Fisheries Council 24-25 June 2013 Richard Lochhead MSP, Cabinet Secretary for Rural Affairs and the Environment 
			 Education Youth Culture and Sports 16 May 2013 Angela Constance MSP, Minister for Youth and Employment. Fiona Hyslop MSP, Cabinet Secretary for Culture and External Affairs 
			 Agriculture and Fisheries Council 13-14 May 2013 Scottish Minister, Richard Lochhead MSP, Cabinet Secretary for Rural Affairs and the Environment 
		
	
	
		
			 Agriculture and Fisheries Council 22-23 April 2013 Richard Lochhead MSP, Cabinet Secretary for Rural Affairs and the Environment 
			 Agriculture Council 18-19 March 2013 Richard Lochhead MSP, Cabinet Secretary for Rural Affairs and the Environment 
			 Justice Day of JHAC 8 March 2013 Roseanna Cunningham MSP, Minister for Community Safety and Legal Affairs 
			 EU Fisheries Council 26 February 2013 Richard Lochhead MSP, Cabinet Secretary for Rural Affairs and the Environment 
			 EU Agriculture Council 25 February 2013 Richard Lochhead MSP, Cabinet Secretary for Rural Affairs and the Environment 
			 EU Transport Council 20 December 2012 Keith Brown MSP, Minister for Transport and Veterans 
			 Education, Youth, Culture, Audiovisual and Sport Council 26-27 November 2012 Angela Constance MSP, Minister for Youth Employment 
			 General Affairs Council 16 October 2012 Hamza Yousaf MSP, Minister for External Affairs and International Development

Foreign Relations

Margaret Curran: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what support (a) the his Department and (b) UK embassies or consulates have provided to Ministers in the Scottish Government (i) during overseas trips and (ii) to facilitate contact with (A) overseas governments and (B) the European Union since May 2010.

David Lidington: The Foreign and Commonwealth Office (FCO) and its posts overseas support Scottish Government Ministers travelling overseas in pursuit of their devolved responsibilities. This can include support to develop visit programmes and facilitate meetings with foreign Governments, international organisations, political representatives and businesses; political and economic briefing on host countries; and, where appropriate, UK Trade and Investment support to identify potential investors and trading partners. Scottish Ministers have spoken about the importance of UK diplomatic posts to achieving their objectives in devolved policy areas.
	FCO records indicate that Scottish Government Ministers have conducted at least 45 overseas trips in the past year, including 15 occasions where Scottish Ministers attended EU Council of Ministers meetings as part of the UK delegation. It is not possible to list the variety of services provided for visits since May 2010 without incurring disproportionate cost.

Middle East

Andrew Smith: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what recent representations he has made to his Israeli counterpart on revoking Military Order 418 and returning planning powers on Area C to the Palestinian Authorities.

Hugh Robertson: We continue to urge Israel to ease the restrictions in place in Area C and to fulfil its obligation under the Oslo agreement to transfer authority over Area C to the Palestinian authority. Officials from our embassy in Tel Aviv most recently raised the issue of development for Palestinian communities with the Office of the Coordinator of Government Activities in the Territories (COGAT) on 3 December.

Middle East and North Africa

Jim Shannon: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what assistance his Department offers to construction companies in the Middle East and North Africa to prevent disruption of their work.

Hugo Swire: The Foreign and Commonwealth Office (FCO) and UK Trade and Investment (UKTI) prosperity and trade teams provide guidance and practical assistance to UK companies on managing the risk of protective security (including the terrorism threat) when operating overseas.
	The joint FCO/UKTI web based Overseas Business Risk service offers country specific advice to British companies to help them manage a range of risks. The website contains information on over 90 markets, including countries in the Middle East and North Africa.

Ministers

Ian Lucas: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs how much was spent on ministerial salaries in the last year for which figures are available.

David Lidington: This information is published in the Foreign and Commonwealth Office's annual report and accounts 2012-13
	https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/foreign-and-commonwealth-office-annual-report-and-accounts-2012-13
	In 2012-13, total ministerial remuneration was £250,562.

Pakistan

Barry Sheerman: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what recent assessment he has made of the level of religious freedoms for Christians in Pakistan.

Hugh Robertson: We remain deeply concerned by the violent persecution faced by minority religious and ethnic groups in Pakistan. The Foreign and Commonwealth Office monitors religious freedom in Pakistan in its annual Human Rights report and quarterly updates.
	The Government continues to raise the issue of the persecution of religious minorities on a regular basis with the authorities in Pakistan. Freedom of religion or belief is a human rights priority for this Government and a personal priority for the Minister of State my noble Friend the right hon. Baroness Warsi.
	We continue to urge the Government of Pakistan to guarantee the human rights of all its citizens as laid down in the Constitution and in accordance with international standards. Baroness Warsi had a frank and open discussion on minority issues with the Prime Minister of Pakistan in the margins of UNGA in September, and when she visited the country in October.

Palestinians

Andrew Smith: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs for what reasons the UK voted against Palestinian membership of the Olive Council.

Hugh Robertson: The UK did not vote against Palestinian membership of the International Olive Council. At the November meeting of the International Olive Council the Palestinian Authority did not ask for a vote on their application for full membership of the Council.

Sri Lanka

Gavin Shuker: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what assessment she has made of progress in the human rights situation in Sri Lanka as a result of the UK presence at CHOGM.

Hugo Swire: The Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, my right hon. Friend the Member for Richmond (Yorks) (Mr Hague), and I met with human rights defenders while in Sri Lanka for the Commonwealth Heads of Government Meeting to discuss the current situation and what the UK can do to support their efforts. The Secretary of State made clear during the meeting and after, that
	“we cannot and will not turn a blind eye to the human rights abuses which occur, whether they are about freedom of expression, impunity for disappearances or sexual violence, freedom from torture and the lack of accountability for alleged war crimes.”
	We continue to have strong concerns about lack of demonstrable progress on post conflict reconciliation, accountability and political settlement in Sri Lanka. The Prime Minister was clear with the Sri Lankan President at the Commonwealth Heads of Government Meeting in Colombo earlier this month that we expect real progress on human rights, reconciliation, accountability, and political settlement.

Sri Lanka

Kerry McCarthy: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs whether he has (a) made representations to the Sri Lankan government regarding the closure of Jaffna University and (b) had discussions with that government regarding the reasons for the recent university closures in that country.

Hugo Swire: The Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, my right hon. Friend the Member for Richmond (Yorks) (Mr Hague), has not made representations to the Sri Lankan Government on the temporary closure of Jaffna University from 11 November to 1 December, or on the reasons for the temporary closure of the University. We understand that Jaffna University has now reopened.

Sri Lanka

Kerry McCarthy: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs whether he has made representations to the Sri Lankan Government regarding land grabs; and what assessment he has made of President Rajapaksa's commitment to ending land grabs in the north east of Sri Lanka and ensuring restitution to people affected.

Hugo Swire: The Prime Minister raised land rights and reducing the military presence in the North of Sri Lanka during a meeting with the President, Mr Rajapaska, during the Commonwealth Heads of Government Meeting in November. Our High Commission in Colombo has also raised the need to resolve land disputes through a fair and accountable process with Sri Lankan Government.
	Land rights are an issue of concern in many post conflict situations involving internally displaced people or refugees. In Sri Lanka, multiple displacements of different groups and individuals have occurred over many years resulting in competing claims on the same land. Our most recent Human Rights Report highlights that there are increased reports of land takeovers in Tamil areas. The Sri Lankan Government have recently given assurances that the military would return some private land in the north within the next few months.

Sri Lanka

Kerry McCarthy: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs whether (a) he and (b) the Prime Minister discussed the (i) education of Tamil children and (ii) role of the military during their visit to Sri Lanka in November 2013; what representations he has made regarding the military's involvement in schools in the north east of Sri Lanka; and what assessment he has made of the reasons for such involvement.

Hugo Swire: The Prime Minister raised the issue of a military presence in the North of Sri Lanka during a meeting with President Rajapaksa, during the Commonwealth Heads of Government Meeting in November. Our high commissioner to Colombo, also raised the issue of military involvement in civilian activities with the Sri Lankan President earlier this month.
	Though military drawback is evident in some areas, we are concerned at military involvement in commercial and other civil activities, such as education, tourism, and agriculture, and the occupation of land in high security zones. We will continue to raise this issue with members of the Sri Lankan Government, and press the need for the military not to partake in civil activities.

Ukraine

Jim Cunningham: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs 
	(1)  what assessment he has made of recent reports of the use of excessive force and violence against peaceful protestors in Ukraine;
	(2)  what steps the Government is taking to support human and civil rights in Ukraine;
	(3)  if the Government will support further discussions on the Ukraine's Association Agreement with the EU.

David Lidington: The Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, my right hon. Friend the Member for Richmond (Yorks) (Mr Hague), and I have expressed publicly our deep concern at reports of police violence being used to break up a peaceful demonstration in Ukraine on 30 November. We welcome the Ukrainian Government's commitment to a thorough investigation of this violence but stress that it is of the utmost importance that the investigation is rigorous and fair.
	The Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs and I have called on the Ukrainian authorities to respect the right of peaceful protest and to abide fully by its international commitments to respect the freedom of expression and assembly. We were encouraged to see that the demonstrations over the weekend of 14 and 15 December passed peacefully.
	The UK government was disappointed with President Yanukovych's decision to put preparations for signature of an EU-Ukraine Association Agreement on hold. The message from the Vilnius Eastern Partnership Summit 28/29 November was clear; the EU's door remains open; signature is still in Ukraine's hands. The UK remains committed to Ukraine's European future, to the Association Agreement and to a closer relationship with Ukraine, if that's what the people of Ukraine want. They should be free to make that decision without external pressure.
	We believe that the people of Ukraine will be best served by an Administration which adheres to European values. The UK government will continue to monitor closely Ukraine's progress on reform in human and civil rights issues. When I visited Ukraine in September I was pleased to note the increase in momentum on reform; a number of laws aimed at meeting the conditions set by the December 2012 Foreign Affairs Council were adopted. Between September and late November we saw further progress towards new legislation on electoral reform and the reform of the general prosecutor's office. Further work is undoubtedly necessary, particularly in strengthening the independence of the judiciary and on selective justice. The United Kingdom continues to stand ready to support Ukraine's reform process.

PRIME MINISTER

Arms Trade

Barry Sheerman: To ask the Prime Minister 
	(1)  what the cost to the public purse of foreign visits he has made to promote the UK arms industry has been since May 2010;
	(2)  what steps he has taken to ensure that British-made arms are not sold to repressive foreign regimes;
	(3)  what discussions he has had since May 2010 with the governments of (a) the United Arab Emirates and (b) other authoritarian countries on the sale of arms products made by UK companies.

David Cameron: Details of ministerial overseas travel are published quarterly and are available on the gov.uk website.
	The Government supports responsible defence exports. All export licence applications are carefully assessed on a case by case basis against the Consolidated EU and National Arms Export Licensing Criteria, taking into account all relevant factors, including the prevailing circumstances in the recipient country, the nature of the goods, the identity of the end-user and the stated end-use.

TRANSPORT

A57

Angela Smith: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport on how many occasions the A57 Snake Pass between Glossop and the Rivelin Valley was closed to traffic due to (a) road accidents and (b) inclement weather conditions in each of the last three years.

Robert Goodwill: The Department for Transport does not hold the information centrally on how many occasions the A57 Snake Pass between Glossop and the Rivelin Valley was closed to traffic due to (a) road accidents and (b) inclement weather conditions in each of the last three years.

Airports Commission

Steven Baker: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport if he will ensure that the Crown Dependencies are consulted on the recommendations of the Airports Commission before a decision on this matter is made.

Robert Goodwill: The Government is planning to respond to the Airports Commission's Interim Report's short-term recommendations as soon as possible in 2014. The Government is happy to receive representations from all interested parties before publication. The Commission's final recommendations will be made in summer 2015. If these recommendations are taken forward, they will be subject to full public consultation as part of a National Policy Statement.

Driving: Young People

Richard Burden: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport when he expects to publish his Department's green paper on the safety of young drivers.

Robert Goodwill: The safety of young people on our roads is very important to us. Too many young people die, too often. But we are wrestling with how to make things safer, while not unduly restricting the freedom of our young people. We want young people to be able to get to work and training, to education and to leisure activities, and we want them to do so safely. We are finding this a difficult balance, with passionate voices on both sides. We will issue a paper when we have considered this further.

Pedestrian Crossings

Barry Sheerman: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport 
	(1)  if he will estimate the number of (a) pelican, (b) puffin and (c) countdown crossings in operation;
	(2)  if he will estimate the number of new (a) pelican and (b) puffin crossings installed in (i) 2010, (ii) 2011 and (iii) 2012;
	(3)  how many local highways authorities installed pelican crossings in (a) 2010, (b) 2011 and (c) 2012;
	(4)  with reference to the puffin pedestrian crossing accident study published by TRL in March 2011, for what reasons his Department permits local authorities to install new pelican crossings;
	(5)  what assessment he has made of whether available research evidence permits firm conclusions about the relative safety performance of pelican and other types of pedestrian crossing; and what guidance his Department issues to local authorities on that matter;
	(6)  if he will issue guidance to local authorities on the dangers of pelican crossings on roads with multi-lane approaches.

Robert Goodwill: The Department for Transport (DFT) does not hold information on numbers of pelican and puffin crossings installed by local authorities during the period 2010-12 or which local authorities installed those crossings.
	Decisions on what type of crossing to provide are for local traffic authorities, taking into account local factors such as road layout, traffic speed and volume, and pedestrian flow. Many factors contribute to the safety record of a crossing and for this reason it is not possible to provide a definitive ranking of crossing types in terms of safety.
	However, research commissioned by the DFT showed that pelican crossings converted to puffin crossings showed an average reduction in accidents of 17%. The report is available to download from:
	www.trl.co.uk/online_store/reports_publications/trl_reports/cat_traffic_engineering/report_puffin_pedestrian_crossing_accident_study.htm
	The Department gives advice on assessing and designing pedestrian crossings in two Local Transport Notes (LTNs), LTN 1/95: The Assessment of Pedestrian Crossings and LTN 2/95: The Design of Pedestrian Crossings. These are available to download from:
	https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/local-transport-notes
	In 2004 the Department also published the Puffin Good Practice Guide, giving detailed advice on the design and installation of puffin crossings. This is available to download from:
	https://www.gov.uk/government/policies/managing-improving-and-investing-in-the-road-network/supporting-pages/traffic-signs
	Many authorities already choose to install puffin crossings as their default crossing type both at junctions and stand-alone. The Department expects this trend to continue.

Railways: Radlett

Anne Main: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport pursuant to the answer of 26 March 2012, to the hon. Member for Hertsmere, Official Report, columns 947-8W, on aviation: Hertfordshire, how many meetings Ministers from his Department have had with counterparts in the Department for Communities and Local Government on general planning issues relating to strategic rail freight interchanges since June 2010; and at how many such meetings the Radlett application was mentioned.

Stephen Hammond: I refer to the answer of 26 March 2012. There have been no subsequent meetings between Ministers in this Department and counterparts in the Department for Communities and Local Government to discuss general planning issues relating to strategic rail freight interchanges.
	However, Ministers in this Department and in the Department for Communities and Local Government worked closely together on the preparation of the joint written ministerial statement issued in November 2011 to accompany the publication of the Policy Guidance on Strategic Rail Freight Interchanges. This was generic guidance that made no mention of specific proposals.

Railways: Radlett

Anne Main: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport pursuant to the answer of 26 March 2012, to the hon. Member for Hertsmere, Official Report, columns 947-8W, on aviation: Hertfordshire, when the conversation with the hon. Member for Bromley and Chislehurst took place and whether it was minuted.

Stephen Hammond: As stated in the answer of 26 March 2012, the conversation between my right hon. Friend the Member for Chipping Barnet (Mrs Villiers), and my hon. Friend the Member for Bromley and Chislehurst (Robert Neill), took place in Parliament in the autumn of 2010. In accordance with normal Parliamentary protocol, the conversation was not minuted.

Rolling Stock: North West

David Crausby: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what discussions he has had with First Trans-Pennine Express on the number of carriages in use on peak commuter trains between Bolton and Manchester.

Stephen Hammond: Officials from the Department for Transport have regular meetings with both First TransPennine Express and Northern Rail. The new timetable and passenger capacity at Bolton have been discussed with both operators as they have developed the timetable changes necessary for the electrification of the Manchester to Scotland route. Operators have also advised Transport for Greater Manchester of their proposals. It is for the railway industry to best match passenger capacity to demand on individual services making the most appropriate use of rolling stock and resources.
	The operators are monitoring passenger demand at Bolton closely each day. During the first week of the new timetable, operators have advised that there has not been a significant increase in crowding on peak services between Bolton and Manchester. Passengers travelling between Preston, Wigan and Manchester are being advised to travel via the new TPE route using Wigan North Western station. This will help provide more places for passengers travelling from stations on the Bolton line. Northern has worked with the Department on contingency plans to provide additional morning peak capacity on the Bolton corridor if morning peak passenger demand exceeds operators' expectations.
	As they are introduced to the Manchester to Scotland route, the new TPE electric trains will further increase the number of seats between Manchester and Wigan. From May 2014, additional capacity will be provided on TPE services serving the cities of Northern England. This will increase the capacity across TPE routes by around 30%. This will include a fifth train each hour between Manchester and Leeds. A new hourly service will run non-stop between Liverpool and Manchester, increasing capacity and offering non-stop expresses between these cities for the first time in many years.
	Electrification of the line between Manchester, Preston and Blackpool North via Bolton is due to be completed in 2016.

Tonnage Tax

Karl Turner: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what recent estimate his Department has made of the total number of (a) UK, (b) EEA and (c) non-EEA nationals employed as ratings on ships qualified on for the tonnage tax scheme.

Stephen Hammond: The numbers of deck and engine ratings employed on ships in the tonnage scheme, as reported to us by companies and groups who have submitted their training commitments for 2013-14, are (a) UK—1,882, (b) other EEA—1,554 and (c) non-EEA—7,493. Training commitments for 2013-14 are still outstanding from three companies, so these figures could change.

Tonnage Tax

Karl Turner: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what the latest estimate his Department has made is of the total number of (a) UK, (b) EEA and (c) non-EEA seafarers working on ships qualified for the tonnage tax scheme.

Stephen Hammond: The numbers of seafarers employed in the deck and engine departments on ships in the tonnage scheme, as reported to us by companies and groups who have submitted their training commitments for 2013-14, are (a) UK—4,350, (b) other EEA—3,821 and (c) non-EEA—10,990. Training commitments for 2013-14 are still outstanding from three companies, so these figures could change.

Transport: Northern Ireland

Richard Burden: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport 
	(1)  what assessment he has made of the effects of the review of Local Transport Note 2/95 on policy and practice of devolved government in Northern Ireland;
	(2)  whether (a) Local Transport Note 2/95 continues to apply and (b) the Zebra, Pelican and Puffin Pedestrian Crossings Regulations and General Directions 1997 remain in force in Northern Ireland.

Robert Goodwill: The Zebra, Pelican and Puffin Pedestrian Crossings Regulations and General Directions 1997 apply in England, Scotland and Wales, and remain in force. In Northern Ireland, the Zebra, Pelican and Puffin Pedestrian Crossings Regulations (Northern Ireland) 2006 make similar provisions.
	In Northern Ireland, responsibility for managing all roads, including provision of pedestrian crossings, lies with the Department for Regional Development (DRDNI). The advice given in Local Transport Note 2/95 on the Design of Pedestrian Crossings is guidance, and compliance with it is not mandatory. DRDNI endorsed this document when it was published in 1995.

Unmanned Air Vehicles

Tom Watson: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what material on the current or proposed use of remotely piloted aircraft systems in UK airspace is collated by or on behalf of the Cross-Government Working Group on remotely piloted aircraft systems.

Robert Goodwill: As with all policy groups, the Cross-Government Working Group on Remotely Piloted Aircraft Systems considers a range of material from a variety of sources, including from industry and other Government Departments.

Unmanned Air Vehicles

Tom Watson: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport pursuant to the answer of 10 December 2013, Official Report, column 198W, on unmanned air vehicles, which RPAS-related departmental polices are informed by the Cross-Government Working Group on Remotely Piloted Aircraft Systems. [R]

Robert Goodwill: The Cross-Government Working Group on Remotely Piloted Aircraft Systems works to support the Government's growth agenda, specifically aimed at creating an environment that will allow UK operators and industry to compete in this new and emerging market. This includes issues that cut across a number of Government Departments such as regulation, information management and UK infrastructure requirements to support the safe integration of Remotely Piloted Aircraft Systems into UK and European airspace.

ATTORNEY-GENERAL

Witnesses

Emily Thornberry: To ask the Attorney General how many Crown Prosecution Service staff were employed in front-line witness care in each of the last seven years.

Oliver Heald: Witness care has been dealt with primarily by joint CPS/police Witness Care Units. While there has been a reduction in the numbers of CPS staff in WCUs in recent years the numbers of police staff has increased. There has been no evidence of a decline in service and witness attendance rates have remained constant at just above 80%.
	The numbers of Crown Prosecution Service staff employed in front line witness care over the past seven years are shown the following table:
	
		
			  Headcount 
			 2013 117 
			 2012 137 
			 2011 159 
			 2010 216 
			 2009 227 
			 2008 233 
			 2007 201

DEFENCE

Armed Forces: Young People

Madeleine Moon: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence pursuant to the answer of 12 November 2013, Official Report, column 696W, on armed forces: young people, when he expects the terms of reference of that review to be finalised; and if he will publish those terms of reference before publication of the initial report.

Anna Soubry: The Secretary of State for Defence, my right hon. Friend the Member for Runnymede and Weybridge (Mr Hammond), has tasked the Army to conduct the cost benefit analysis referred to in my previous answer. As recruitment is an activity where the cost of recruiting junior entrant (JE) or standard entrant (SE) individuals is the same, the scope of the study is focused on the costs of additional training provided to under-18s on the JE scheme.
	As a result of scoping carried out by the Army, the timetable for this study is now becoming clearer but it is too soon to set a publication date for the initial report. It is also apparent that the detailed terms of reference will require more development and a decision has yet to be taken on publication.

Army

Jim Shannon: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what steps he is taking to ensure that regular Army numbers are maintained until the numbers of those serving in the Territorial Army is increased to prevent a manpower shortfall arising from his restructuring plans.

Anna Soubry: The reduction of regular forces and the increase in Reserves as part of Future Force 2020 will continue, although no final decisions have been made on Tranche 4 redundancies. The Future Force 2020 will build a balanced and adaptable ‘Whole Force’ of regular, reserve, Ministry of Defence civilian and contractors. It will provide military capability in a different way from the past to deliver the range and scale of military forces and skills required. The Reserves are not a direct replacement for the regulars, they will complement them, and it makes practical, financial and military sense for some skills and capabilities to be held in the Reserves.

Army: Apprentices

Jim Shannon: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence 
	(1)  how many apprenticeships are offered in the Army in each year;
	(2)  how many apprenticeships the Army offers each year; and what steps he is taking to ensure that figure is reached in 2013 and 2014.

Anna Soubry: Where possible, the Army aims to provide an appropriate trade related apprenticeship for every soldier who joins and has developed apprenticeship programmes for all arms and services with the exception of the Intelligence Corps, which is currently under development.
	Over 95% of soldiers enrol on a trade related apprenticeship during phase two training and continue these qualifications into their chosen regiments.
	The number of apprenticeships offered in the Army for each of the last five years is shown in the following table:
	
		
			  Number 
			 2008-09 8,960 
			 2009-10 10,370 
			 2010-11 9,480 
			 2011-12 11,740 
			 2012-13 13,550 
		
	
	Figures have been rounded in accordance with Government statistical convention.

Defence Equipment and Support

Alison Seabeck: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence whether military, civil servants and privately contracted staff within the Defence Equipment and Support plus will receive different terms and conditions of employment for similarly qualified and graded positions.

Philip Dunne: At present in Defence Equipment and Support (DE&S), Military personnel, civil servants and privately contracted staff have different terms of conditions and we expect this to continue. We do however expect there to be changes to terms and conditions in the new organisation. A key feature of the new organisation is that we will be able to employ people along more commercial lines at market reflective salaries. The military component in DE&S is vital and they will continue on normal military terms and conditions.

Defence Equipment and Support

Alison Seabeck: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what the staffing of the new DE&S+ security will be; whether it will use existing Civil Service grades; and what accountability arrangements there will be.

Philip Dunne: The new Defence Equipment and Support (DE&S) organisation will be staffed essentially by the same employees in the existing DE&S organisation with the addition of some private sector support in advisory and support roles. The new organisation will be permitted significant freedoms and flexibilities, agreed with the Treasury and Cabinet Office, which will allow us to revise existing terms and conditions where there is a business need, including grade structure. The new entity will have a hard boundary with the rest of the Ministry of Defence, a separate governance and oversight structure with a strong board under an independent chairman. The chief executive will be an accounting officer, accountable to Parliament for the performance of the organisation.

Defence Equipment and Support

Alison Seabeck: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence when the new DE&S+ entity will be established; when he expects it to take over the running of procurement for his Department; and when he expects the service pillars to transfer to the new entity.

Philip Dunne: The new organisation will be established in April 2014 at which point it will take on the running of Defence procurement and support activities. Final details regarding the scope of the new organisation will build on the recommendations in the Defence Equipment and Support (DE&S) plus proposition and be similar to the current DE&S.

Defence Equipment and Support

Alison Seabeck: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence whether he expects the chief executive of the arm's length company that will run DE&S will also act as Chief of Defence Materiel.

Philip Dunne: The role of Chief of Defence Materiel and the Chief Executive of Defence Equipment and Support (DE&S) are the same roles. It is essentially a title change to reflect the change in status of DE&S as an arm’s length body.

Defence: Procurement

Alison Seabeck: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what assessment he has made of the application of project trust funds to defence contracts.

Philip Dunne: The Ministry of Defence does not recognise the term “project trust funds” in relation to UK defence contracts.

Defence: Procurement

Alison Seabeck: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence pursuant to his statement of 10 December 2013, Official Report, columns 146-8, on defence procurement, whether he will publish an impact assessment of the changes announced.

Philip Dunne: The new entity does not require an impact assessment because its creation does not require new legislation.

Defence: Procurement

Alison Seabeck: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence if he will details the breakdown of the costs incurred to date by his Department in establishing a GoCo and running the tendering process.

Philip Dunne: We have spent some £7.4 million supporting our work on the GOCO option. That investment has allowed us to understand better the challenges we need to meet to make a GOCO work and the outputs will be retained to inform any future competition.

Reserve Forces: Yorkshire and the Humber

Hugh Bayley: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what targets he has set for increasing the number of Reserve Forces based in Yorkshire and the Humber as part of his overall plan to increase the number of reservists to 30,000.

Anna Soubry: The Secretary of State for Defence, my right hon. Friend the Member for Runnymede and Weybridge (Mr Hammond), has undertaken to provide the House with information on national recruitment targets by the end of this year. There is no intention to set specific targets for Yorkshire and the Humber.

Trident Submarines

Alison Seabeck: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what steps his Department is taking to prepare a preliminary proposal for refuelling the Vanguard class submarines; what the timetable is for that work; and what budget has been set aside for that work.

Philip Dunne: In line with the strategic defence and security review, the Ministry of Defence is planning the additional work that is needed to extend the life of the Vanguard class submarines to maintain continuous at sea deterrence until the successor submarines have entered service. This includes an additional deep maintenance period (DMP) for each submarine in the class, starting with HMS Vanguard in 2015. The work to be undertaken in the first additional DMP continues to be developed and the full scope will be finalised around spring 2014.

Unmanned Air Vehicles

Annette Brooke: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence pursuant to the answer of 12 June 2013, Official Report, column 327W, on unmanned aerial vehicles, what recent discussions he has had with his international counterparts on the legality of the armed drones programme.

Philip Dunne: There have been no discussions with international counterparts on the legality of the armed remotely piloted aircraft systems (RPAS) programme as the framework for their use is clear.

ENERGY AND CLIMATE CHANGE

Carbon Sequestration

Tom Greatrex: To ask the Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change when his Department plans to publish details of Contract for Difference arrangements for carbon capture and storage projects.

Michael Fallon: A draft generic Contract for Difference (CfD) contract was published for comment in August 2013. We expect to publish an updated version shortly. Most of the terms of the generic CfD will also apply to Carbon Capture and Storage (CCS), although we anticipate some technology specific tailoring will also be needed. The details of that tailoring will be worked up in consultation with developers of early stage CCS projects, including those in the CCS Competition.

Energy Companies Obligation

Jonathan Reynolds: To ask the Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change what assessment he has made of the effect of the changes to the Energy Companies Obligation announced in the Autumn Statement on meeting the UK's climate obligations for the period up to 2020.

Gregory Barker: The Government is committed to ensuring that the overall effect of any changes to the Energy Company Obligation (ECO) are carbon neutral, and for this reason when the proposed changes to ECO were announced, we simultaneously introduced the significant package of new public funding to boost energy efficiency.
	The announcement of 2 December included a preliminary analysis of the estimated carbon dioxide impact of the proposed changes to ECO and the package of new funding, available at
	https://www.gov.uk/government/news/govt-action-to-help-hardworking-people-with-energy-bills
	and following:
	
		
			 Measure Estimated CO2 impact 
			 Changes to ECO 2.7-2.9 MT CO2 increase 
			 £450 million over three years for energy efficiency incentives through the Green Deal: Stamp duty rebate worth up to £1,000, or up to £4,000 particularly expensive measures, available to all people moving house including those who do not pay stamp duty, helping around 60,000 homes a year over three years. Scheme to support private landlords in improving the energy efficiency of their properties, which it is anticipated will improve around 15,000 of the least energy efficient rental properties each year for three years. Up to 1.8 MT CO2 saving 
			 Improving the energy efficiency of schools, hospitals and other public sector buildings with £90 million over three years for a loans scheme, building on the existing Salix scheme. 0.6 MT CO2 saving 
			 Long-term commitment to maintaining a fuel duty differential for lower-carbon HGV fleets 1 At least 0.5 MT CO2 saving 
			 1 This further detail replaces the original text “Additional savings from transport policies to be announced | shortly”.

Energy Companies Obligation

Jonathan Reynolds: To ask the Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change what discussions he has had with the insulation industry about potential job losses as a result of the changes to the Energy Companies Obligation announced in the Autumn Statement.

Gregory Barker: DECC officials have regular discussions with representatives of the insulation industry to inform development of Energy Company Obligation policy, to better understand how the scheme is being delivered on the ground and to discuss the potential impact of the proposed changes to the scheme.

Energy Supply

Caroline Flint: To ask the Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change how much electricity capacity which was connected directly to the distribution network there was in each of the last 16 years.

Michael Fallon: DECC publishes data annually on plant capacity in the UK (Table 5.7 in the Digest of UK Energy Statistics). The following table shows the capacity of ‘Other generators’ in the UK. The majority of this capacity is connected to the Distribution network.
	
		
			 Table 1: Plant capacity of other generators in the UK 
			  MW 
			 1997 4,625 
			 1998 4,990 
			 1999 5,388 
			 2000 6,258 
			 2001 6,296 
			 2002 6,336 
			 2003 6,793 
			 2004 6,829 
			 2005 7,422 
			 2006 7,407 
			 2007 6,763 
			 2008 6,686 
		
	
	
		
			 2009 7,021 
			 2010 7,045 
			 2011 7,267 
			 2012 7,498

Energy Supply

Caroline Flint: To ask the Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change how much installed electricity capacity connected directly to the transmission capacity there was in each of the last 16 years.

Michael Fallon: DECC publishes data annually on plant capacity in the UK (Table 5.7 in the Digest of UK Energy Statistics). Table 1 as follows shows the capacity of major power producers in the UK. The majority of this capacity is connected to the transmission network.
	
		
			 Table 1: Plant capacity of major power producers in the UK 
			  MW 
			 1997 68,140 
			 1998 68,312 
			 1999 70,245 
			 2000 72,193 
			 2001 73,382 
			 2002 70,369 
			 2003 71,471 
			 2004 73,293 
			 2005 73,941 
			 2006 74,996 
			 2007 75,979 
			 2008 76,993 
			 2009 77,810 
			 2010 83,426 
			 2011 81,783 
			 2012 81,742

Energy: Company Accounts

Caroline Flint: To ask the Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change pursuant to the Statement of 31 October 2013, Official Report, column 1096, by what criteria he will assess the level of transparency of the financial accounts of the energy companies.

Michael Fallon: The Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change, my right hon. Friend the Member for Kingston and Surbiton (Mr Davey), has asked Ofgem to deliver, by spring 2014, a full report on the transparency of financial accounts of the energy companies and ways this could be improved. In their recent consultation of 31 October Ofgem set out that for transparency measures to be effective information provided must be robust, useful and accessible. The merits of measures to improve transparency must also be assessed on the basis of the relative costs and benefits for end consumers.

Energy: Prices

Jonathan Reynolds: To ask the Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change what estimate he has made of the average saving on energy bills for (a) those on direct debit schemes, (b) those who pay the bill upon receipt and (c) those who use prepayment meters following the changes announced in the Autumn Statement.

Gregory Barker: The value of the benefit will vary between companies, but, on average, the package of measures announced on 2 December, will be worth around £50 to households. The Government, has encouraged energy suppliers to ensure that all customers benefit from the whole package of measures.

Fracking

Hywel Williams: To ask the Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change whether the future growth of the fracking industry in England will require the use of water from Wales.

Michael Fallon: Water sourced from local water companies for projects in England could potentially originate from Wales.

Gas Fired Power Stations

Caroline Flint: To ask the Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change pursuant to the answer of 28 November 2013, Official Report, column 398, on energy security, how many of the new gas plants that have come online since May 2010 (a) received planning consent and (b) began construction before May 2010.

Michael Fallon: I refer the right hon. Member to the answer I gave her on 10 July 2013, Official Report, column 322-24W.

Green Deal Scheme

Caroline Flint: To ask the Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change pursuant to the answer of 28 November 2013, Official Report, column 397, on green policies, what assessment his Department has made of satisfaction ratings for the Green Deal.

Gregory Barker: DECC has captured evidence on the Green Deal experience through surveys with households that have been involved in the process. This includes both the assessment and installation experience. The latest research with households that had an assessment revealed that 78% found the assessment useful, 78% had confidence in the recommendations made and 72% would recommend having a Green Deal assessment to a family or friend. Similar research also found that 85% of households that had installed a recommended measure were satisfied with the installation process. The research can be found at:
	https://www.gov.uk/government/collections/green-deal-assessments-research

Insulation

Caroline Flint: To ask the Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change pursuant to oral answer of 28 November 2013, Official Report, column 390, on energy efficiency, what the evidential basis is for the statement that 4.8 million insulation measures have been installed through Government schemes.

Gregory Barker: The statement that 4.8 million insulation measures have been installed through Government schemes is based on the number of installations of retro-fit cavity wall insulation, loft insulation and solid wall insulation through Government schemes since July 2010. It includes measures installed through the Carbon Emissions Reduction Target (CERT), the Community Energy Savings
	Programme (CESP), Warm Front, the Energy Company Obligation (ECO) and Cashback between the start of July 2010 and the end of June 2013.
	
		
			  CERT CESP Warm Front ECO Cashback Total 
			 Cavity wall insulation 1,350,000 2— 2— 50,000 2— 1,410,000 
			 Loft insulation 3,180,000 20,000 10,000 60,000 2— 3,270,000 
			 Solid wall insulation 27,000 80,000 n/a 5,000 2— 112,000 
			 Total1 4,550,000 100,000 20,000 120,000 2— 4,800,000 
			 n/a = not applicable 1 Figures for each Government scheme and energy efficiency measure have been rounded to the nearest ten thousand, and therefore totals may not sum due to rounding. 2 Less than 5,000 measures installed.

Nuclear Power: Education

Paul Flynn: To ask the Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change what discussions he has had with the Secretary of State for Education and his Welsh counterpart on the inclusion of educational material supporting the use of nuclear power in the national curriculum; what the cost is of the preparation of this work; and from which departmental budget it is funded.

Michael Fallon: There have been no conversations between the Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change, the right hon. Member for Kingston and Surbiton (Mr Davey), and either the Secretary of State for Education, my right hon. Friend the Member for Surrey Heath (Michael Gove), or his Welsh counterpart on the subject of the inclusion of educational material supporting the use of nuclear power in the national curriculum.
	The Secretary of State and I support the inclusion of material within the curriculum which supports the development of the science, technology, engineering and maths (STEM) subjects which will be required to support low carbon industries for the future.

Power Stations

Caroline Flint: To ask the Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change with reference to table 1.2 of his Department's statutory security of supply report, published October 2013, if he will list each plant scheduled to close in (a) 2013-14, (b) 2014-15, (c) 2018-19, (d) 2019-20 and (e) 2023-24.

Michael Fallon: The operational lifetime of a plant is a commercial decision for the companies involved. As a result neither Ofgem nor National Grid publish plant by plant estimates of closure dates. DECC does publish the current lifetimes of nuclear plant which can be found here:
	https://www.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploads/attachment_data/file/48353/2027-past-and-present-uk-nuclear-reactors.pdf
	These are the dates that they are currently scheduled to close. Any lifetime extensions are a matter for the regulator who must be satisfied with the safety of the installations.

Power Stations

Caroline Flint: To ask the Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change with reference to paragraph 1.16 of his Department's Statutory security of supply report, published October 2013, what estimate he has made of the time required to make each mothballed plant operational.

Michael Fallon: The readiness to produce power of any mothballed power station is a commercial matter for the company involved.

WORK AND PENSIONS

Armed Forces: Children

Bob Russell: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions what guidance he has issued to the Child Support Agency on the implications of the Armed Forces Covenant in respect of child custody and visiting rights.

Steve Webb: There are currently three statutory maintenance schemes. The 1993 and 2003 scheme is delivered by the Child Support Agency and the 2012 scheme is delivered by the Child Maintenance Service.
	Child custody and visiting rights fall outside the remit of child maintenance. Child maintenance is responsible for ensuring that parents fulfil their obligations to make financial provision for their children with whom they no longer live. Issues related to custody and visitation are dealt with by the courts.
	Child support policies and guidance regarding the treatment of those in the armed forces, reflect the intent and the spirit of the Armed Forces Covenant.

Children: Maintenance

Anne Begg: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions when he envisages all Child Support Agency arrears cases with no ongoing maintenance liabilities to be moved off the 1993 and 2003 computer systems; how many cases it is anticipated will be moved off the two computer systems at this stage; and whether all relevant cases will be transferred on to the new 2012 scheme computer system.

Steve Webb: We will begin the case closure process when we are confident the 2012 scheme is working well. Our current planning assumption is that the case closure process will begin next year.
	Where arrears of child maintenance are linked to an ongoing child maintenance case on the 2012 scheme, we will move arrears in those cases to the 2012 scheme computer system and pursue them as appropriate.
	In cases where the arrears are not linked to an ongoing 2012 case, and a parent with care requests that we collect the arrears, we will transfer them to the 2012 system and pursue collection as resources allow.
	It is estimated that there are approximately 500,000 cases with arrears but no ongoing child maintenance liability. This estimate is subject to change and review.
	Notes:
	1. Information sourced from final impact assessment—child maintenance reforms: case closure, charging, supporting family-based arrangements available at:
	https://www.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploads/attachment_data/file/259694/cm-case-closure-and-charges-regs-ia-final.pdf

Children: Maintenance

Anne Begg: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions how many cases he expects to fall within each of the five segments scheduled for closure, listed in the Government's full response to the Supporting separated families; securing children's futures consultation Cm 8742.

Steve Webb: It is estimated that in the region of 900,000 existing cases will close, as published in the case closure and charging impact assessment, paragraph 86 available at:
	https://www.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploads/attachment_data/file/259694/cm-case-closure-and-charges-regs-ia-final.pdf
	The breakdown of these cases are estimated to be approximately as follows:
	a. Segment 1: Nil assessed cases—circa 160,000
	b. Segment 2: Nil compliant cases—circa 140,000
	c. Segment 3: Cases handled off system—circa 40,000
	d. Segment 4: Remaining system cases—circa 420,000
	e. Segment 5: Cases with ongoing enforcement action—circa 130,000

Children: Maintenance

Anne Begg: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions what Child Support Agency (CSA) cases will come within Segment 2 of his Department's proposed order for CSA case closure; and what period of nil compliance with child maintenance will be necessary for a case to be included in Segment 2.

Steve Webb: Child Support Agency (CSA) cases falling into “Segment 2” of the proposed case closure order, as outlined in the Government's response to the consultation “Supporting separated families; securing children's futures”, published on 5 November, will have a liability to pay maintenance, but no payments are being made and there is no current enforcement action.
	It is likely that, in these cases, all appropriate enforcement actions have been utilised but we have been unable to obtain compliance, or we lack sufficient information about the non-resident parent's employment status or assets to attempt enforcement. The CSA does keep such cases under periodic review, and monitors data from HM Revenue and Customs and credit reference agencies in order to flag up any cases where enforcement action may become possible. It is however inevitable that a number of these cases will remain outstanding with no suitable enforcement action being identifiable, and will therefore form the second segment at case closure.
	“Nil compliance” in these cases will match the definition provided in the CSA Quarterly Summary of Statistics, i.e. where payments are expected but none have been received within the previous quarter.

Children: Maintenance

Anne Begg: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions if he will take steps to ensure that, following the planned process of Child Support Agency (CSA) arrears validation that will accompany the case closure programme, the Child Maintenance Service will give the same priority to the active recovery of any CSA arrears which a parent with care of a dependent child wishes to have collected, regardless of whether a £20 application fee has been paid to the Child Maintenance Service in respect of continuing maintenance for the child.

Steve Webb: Non-resident parents may owe arrears to parents with care in existing Child Support Agency cases, regardless of whether they apply to the 2012 scheme. We do not intend to write those arrears off, unless the parent with care specifically requests that we should do so.
	As our arrears strategy, published in January 2013, makes clear, we will give priority to collecting on cases where there is an ongoing maintenance liability. Where a parent with care does not apply to the 2012 scheme, but does want their arrears collected, we will transfer the arrears to the new computer system and will collect them as resources allow.

Children: Maintenance

Anne Begg: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions what guidance will be given to Child Maintenance Service officials in respect of Child Support Agency cases closed within Segment 2 of his Department's case closure programme because of nil compliance, where a parent with care who applies to use the new Child Maintenance Service asks to use the statutory collection service straight away, on the grounds that the non-resident parent's nil payment record means they are unlikely to pay the new maintenance liability in accordance with the calculation if left to do so via a voluntary Direct Pay arrangement.

Steve Webb: Where non-resident parents make clear their intentions riot to pay child maintenance as part of the application process to the 2012 scheme, the Child Maintenance Service will take immediate enforcement action.
	Where this is not the case, non-resident parents will be given the opportunity to pay the parent with care directly. As the previous Child Support Agency cases would have been nil compliant, there is no ongoing regular payment pattern which risks disruption by pursuing this approach; and should any such direct pay arrangement be successful both parties will avoid paying the proposed collection charges.
	The Child Maintenance Service will, of course, take action to enforce payments where non-resident parents fail to comply with the direct pay arrangements.

Children: Maintenance

Kate Green: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions with reference to his Department's Impact Assessment, Child maintenance fees reforms: CSA case closure, introducing CMS fees, supporting family-based arrangements, when he expects the new statutory scheme for child maintenance to attain post-transition steady state.

Steve Webb: There are currently three statutory maintenance schemes: the 1993 and 2003 scheme delivered by the Child Support Agency and the 2012 scheme delivered by the Child Maintenance Service.
	We propose to introduce charging and begin the case closure process when the 2012 scheme is seen to be working well. The current planning assumption is that charging will be introduced and case closure will begin in 2014. We expect the case closure process will take around three years to complete.

Children: Maintenance

Kate Green: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions with reference to his Department's Impact Assessment on Child maintenance reforms: CSA case closure, introducing CMS fees, supporting family-based arrangements, dated 31 March 2013, (a) on what basis and (b) over what period his Department has estimated that the amount of the child maintenance fee income expected to accrue during the transition from the present two statutory schemes to the new 2012 statutory scheme will be £2,220 million.

Steve Webb: Application fee income has been calculated by multiplying the estimated volume of 2012 scheme applications by the £20 application fee. Collection fees have been calculated by multiplying the estimated collection service caseload by an average assessment amount and applying a 24% fee (20% for paying parents and 4% for receiving parents). Enforcement fees have been calculated by applying the following rates (available at page 13 of the impact assessment) to the estimated volume of enforcement actions:
	Deduction from earnings order/request: £50
	Regular deduction order: £50
	Lump sum deduction order: £200
	Liability order: £300.
	The estimated £2,221 million revenue is calculated across the transition period of 2012-13 to 2028/29. Table A4 on page 36 of the impact assessment—‘Child maintenance reforms: CSA case closure, introducing CMS fees, supporting family-based arrangements’, dated 31 March 2013, measures the difference between Policy Option 1 (do nothing baseline which introduces the 2012 scheme without case closure and charging) and Policy Option 3 (proposed full reforms). Paragraphs 33 and 80 of the document explain this, stating that Policy Option 1 is the baseline against which the costs and benefits of the proposed reforms will be measured and that without case closure the transitional period would be 17 years (2012-13 to 2028-29).
	Notes
	The impact assessment—‘Child maintenance reforms: CSA case closure, introducing CMS fees, supporting family-based arrangements’—is available at:
	https://www.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploads/attachment_data/file/259694/cm-case-closure-and-charges-regs-ia-final.pdf

Employment: Disability

Tony Cunningham: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions how many disabled people declared fit for work have subsequently reapplied and been classed as unfit for work within a three month period.

Michael Penning: The information requested is not readily available and to provide it would incur disproportionate costs.
	However if you would like information on employment and support allowance, initial work capability assessments and outcomes of appeals heard on fit for work decisions these are published by the Department. I have included a link which directs to publications.
	https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/employment-and-support-allowance-statistics-on-reassessments-of-incapacity-benefits-july-2013

Housing Benefit

Guto Bebb: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions what estimate he has made of the proportion of the total discretionary housing budget that was spent during the first six months of 2013-14.

Steve Webb: The Department has collated six-monthly returns detailing DHP awards made by local authorities in Great Britain between the beginning of April to the end of September 2013.
	The Department has pre-announced that this information will be published on 20 December 2013.
	This year the Government contribution to discretionary housing payments has been increased to £180 million. As part of this, local authorities are able to bid for funding from a £20 million reserve fund. The scheme is open to bids until 3 February 2014.

Housing Benefit: Social Rented Housing

Stephen Timms: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions what proportion of households affected by the under-occupancy penalty have a member from an ethnic minority.

Esther McVey: See the following table. DWPs 2012 equality impact assessment estimated that 10% of claimants affected by the removal of the spare room subsidy are black or minority ethnic claimants.
	
		
			 Ethnicity Estimated number of claimants affected Breakdown of working age SRS HB claimants affected (percentage) 
			 White 600,000 90 
			 Black and minority ethnic 60,000 10 
			 All 660,000 100 
			 Source: Policy Simulation Model using 2009-10 reference data from the Family Resources Survey 
		
	
	A link to the equality impact assessment can be found at
	https://www.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploads/attachment_data/file/220154/eia-social-sector-housing-under-occupation-wr2011.pdf

Jobcentre Plus

Tom Greatrex: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions what estimate he has made of the number of incidents of violence or abuse carried out against staff in jobcentres in each month since June 2010.

Esther McVey: Jobcentre Plus currently conducts approximately 25.5 million adviser interviews each year. Physical assaults on Jobcentre staff are very rare. However we take such physical assaults extremely seriously and work with the police and departmental solicitors to secure the harshest penalties appropriate.
	Please note that a more detailed online system was set up in September 2011 which has improved the quality of our reported incidents.
	The table provides the total number of recorded incidents, since June 2010. These figures include verbal and written incidents.
	Figures include Customer Care Officers and Security Staff who work for contractors on their own terms and conditions.
	
		
			  Year 
			 Month 2010 2011 2012 2013 
			 April — 1,234 1,867 2,639 
			 May — 1,182 2,195 2,543 
			 June 1,239 1,136 1,948 2,331 
			 July 1,301 1,344 2,346 12,923 
			 August 1,281 1,081 2,182 2,732 
			 September 1,306 22,047 1,885 2,504 
			 October 1,216 2,148 2,498 2,828 
			 November 1,366 2,133 2,681 2,564 
			 December 1,168 1,652 2,115 — 
			 January 1,236 1,955 2,614 — 
			 February 1,437 2,304 2,735 — 
			 March 1,631 2,095 2,606 — 
			 1 Figures from July 2013 onwards, awaiting validation at time of writing. 2 New improved web-based incident reporting system was introduced to DWP staff in September 2011.

Older Workers: Dementia

Bob Russell: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions if his Department will commission an assessment of the effects on employers and the additional support they may require owing to the potential increase in the number of people of employment age who have dementia as a result of the extension in retirement age; and what discussions he has had with the Secretary of State for Health on the needs of older workers.

Steve Webb: 1.3% of people aged 65 to 69 have dementia, and its onset increases significantly from age 75. As part of the Prime Minister's Challenge on Dementia, a task and finish group is looking at how employers can better support people with dementia in the workplace. The Government is also improving services for people with mental health conditions through initiatives such as ‘talking therapy’ services, which include a focus on employment, through the new Health and Work Service which will be central to preventing avoidable early exit from the labour market.

Personal Independence Payment

Richard Burden: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions if he will use a non-geographic number for the Personal Independence Payment helpline.

Michael Penning: The Department already provides a non-geographic number for the Personal Independence Payment Inquiry Line.

Universal Credit

Stephen Doughty: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions 
	(1)  what estimate he has made of annual changes in the size of the universal credit caseload in (a) 2014-15, (b) 2015-16, (c) 2016-17, (d) 2017-18 and (e) 2018-19;
	(2)  how large the universal credit caseload will be in (a) 2014-15, (b) 2015-16, (c) 2016-17, (d) 2017-18 and (e) 2018-19.

Esther McVey: Universal credit is now operating in seven areas and we remain on track to roll out in Bath, Harrogate and Shotton by next spring. We announced our plans for the next stage of implementation on 5 December, and these were set out in a written ministerial statement. The WMS can be found here:
	http://www.parliament.uk/documents/commons-vote-office/December%202013/5%20December/6-DWP-UniversalCredit.pdf
	Official statistics on universal credit were published on 3 December and can be found at
	http://tabulation-tool.dwp.gov.uk/UC/Universal_Credit.html

Universal Credit

Stephen Timms: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions whether his Department provided the Office of Budget Responsibility with the universal credit caseload projections published in the Economic and Fiscal Outlook, December 2013.

Esther McVey: The Department provided the OBR with the projections for universal credit published in the Economic and Fiscal Outlook.
	These are provisional planning assumptions pending final decisions on the detail and full business case approval.
	Actual case load figures will be determined by the detailed implementation planning and delivery now under way. They will be reported monthly, as previously announced.

Work Programme

Stephen Timms: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions 
	(1)  how many Work programme participants who are in the jobseeker's allowance early access claimant group because they are homeless have (a) been sanctioned while participating in the Work programme and (b) secured a job outcome;
	(2)  how many Work programme participants are in the jobseeker's allowance early access claimant group; and how many such participants are in the group because they are homeless.

Esther McVey: Information on Work programme participants who are in the jobseeker's allowance early access payment group because they are homeless, is not currently available, and could be provided only at disproportionate cost.
	Information on the number of Work programme referrals and attachments, by payment group, is available at:
	https://www.gov.uk/government/collections/dwp-statistics-tabulation-tool

ENVIRONMENT FOOD AND RURAL AFFAIRS

Animal Diseases

Maria Eagle: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what estimate his Department has made of the increase in incidences of zoonotic diseases entering the UK since the relaxation of the regulations under the pet travel scheme in January 2012; and what action his Department plans to take in response to recent rabies cases in the Netherlands and France.

George Eustice: Since the UK harmonised with the EU pet travel scheme on the 1 January 2012 there have been no confirmed cases of rabies in domestic or wild animals within the UK. The UK's continued disease-free status for the Echinococcus multilocularis tapeworm was confirmed by the European Food Safety Authority in November 2013, on the' basis of disease surveillance results shown at:
	http://www.efsa.europa.eu/en/efsaiournal/pub/3465.htm
	The risk associated with the changes that were made to the UK's pet travel rules as a result of harmonisation with EU law was assessed by experts in 2010:
	http://www.defra.gov.uk/animal-diseases/a-z/rabies/
	The risk of a dog with rabies entering the UK under the EU import rules was assessed as very low; and the risk of rabies being passed from a pet to a person is lower still.
	In October 2013 the Dutch authorities confirmed rabies in two puppies illegally imported from Bulgaria. However, on 9 December it was announced that further tests have shown these dogs to be negative for rabies.
	In November 2013 the French authorities confirmed rabies in an illegally imported kitten from Morocco. This case does not increase the overall risk of incursion to the UK.
	The UK operates a robust checking regime to make sure that pets entering the UK do not pose a risk to animal and human health. Ferry, rail and air operators are licensed to carry pets on the basis that they check every pet travelling with its owner for compliance with the rules of the EU pet travel scheme. Anyone who does not follow these rules is committing a criminal offence and local authorities have the power to deal with offenders.

Dogs: Imports

Maria Eagle: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs how many dogs and puppies entered the UK under the Balai Directive in the last 12 months; how old these animals were; and what their country of origin was.

George Eustice: The following figures are for dogs and puppies entering Great Britain(GB) under Balai Intra-Union Trade rules during the past 12 months (December 2012 to November 2013). It is not possible to break these figures down by age.
	
		
			 Country Quantity 
			 Belgium 338 
			 Czech Republic 1 
			 Denmark 1 
			 France 3 
			 Germany 5 
			 Greece 2 
			 Hungary 799 
			 Ireland 31 
			 Italy 11 
			 Netherlands 61 
			 Poland 125 
			 Slovakia 84 
			 Spain 40 
			 Sweden 223 
		
	
	The following figures are for dogs and puppies entering Northern Ireland under Balai Intra-Union Trade rules during the past 12 months (December 2012 to November 2013). It is not possible to break these figures down by age.
	
		
			 Country Quantity 
			 Spain 2 
		
	
	The following figures are for dogs and puppies entering GB under Balai Third Country Trade rules during the past 12 months (December 2012 to November 2013). It is not possible to break these figures down by age.
	
		
			 Country Quantity 
			 USA 147 
			 Japan 1 
			 Malaysia 1 
		
	
	The following figures are for dogs and puppies entering Northern Ireland under Balai Third Country Trade rules during the past 12 months (December 2012 to November 2013). It is not possible to break these figures down by age.
	
		
			 Country Quantity 
			 Brazil 1 
			 Canada 2 
			 UAE 1 
			 USA 13

Elephants: Conservation

Greg Knight: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what funding the Government plans to contribute to the African Elephant Action Plan; whether UK involvement in that plan will be led by Ministers or officials; what outcomes the Government is seeking from that work; and if he will make a statement.

George Eustice: The Government supports the African Elephant Action Plan and has, to date, contributed a total of around £114,000 towards its implementation. My noble Friend Lord de Mauley led the UK delegation to the African Elephant Summit in Gaborone, Botswana, on 2-4 December 2013, at which the African Elephant Action Plan was a central feature of the Urgent Measures adopted by all participants.
	Although the UK does not have a seat on the Steering Committee, where donors to the Action Plan are represented by Germany, France and the Netherlands, DEFRA officials are in regular contact with their counterparts in these countries and the African elephant range states on issues covered by the plan. The London Conference on the Illegal Wildlife Trade, which the Prime Minister will be hosting in February 2014, will also address issues that should help to ensure more effective implementation of the African Elephant Action Plan.

COMMUNITIES AND LOCAL GOVERNMENT

Carbon Monoxide: Poisoning

Barry Sheerman: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government what steps he is taking to ensure that the uptake of the recommendations stemming from the report by HM Coroner for Manchester City, made under Regulation 28 of the Coroners (Investigation) Regulations 2013, into the carbon monoxide-related death of Mrs Aurora Kerr; and whether relevant recommendations will be considered in the recently announced review of property conditions in the private rented sector.

Kris Hopkins: Following the carbon monoxide related death of Mrs Elizabeth Aurora Kerr, the coroner made a number of recommendations, some of which were addressed to the Department. We have addressed the points made by the coroner in respect of those recommendations. The review into property conditions in the private rented sector will carefully consider whether landlords of privately rented accommodation should be required to install carbon monoxide alarms in their properties.

Families: Disadvantaged

Stephen McCabe: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government how much funding his Department allocated to the Troubled Families initiative in each of the last three years; and how much funding he expects to allocate to this initiative in each year to 2015.

Kris Hopkins: My Department published details of all the departmental resources allocated to the Troubled Families Programme in its Annual Report for the period from 1 April 2012 to 31 March 2013. The information can be found on my Department's web pages here:
	https://www.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploads/attachment_data/file/245153/DCLG_2012-13_combined_Annual_Report_and_Accounts_130923.pdf
	The funding information requested can be found on page 40.
	As with all payment by results schemes, actual payments are dependent on the level of performance and therefore budgets allocated to this programme remain under regular review. Where we need to make adjustments to budgets to match the timing of results, we look to do so through the standard budget review processes within the Department and where necessary through the Supplementary and Main Estimates.

Families: Disadvantaged

Stephen McCabe: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government how his Department works with the Ministry of Justice, the Home Office and the Department for Education in delivering the Troubled Families initiative.

Kris Hopkins: The Troubled Families programme was launched with the financial support, of six Government Departments, including the Ministry of Justice, the Home Office and Department for Education. My Department continues to work closely with these Departments, including regular contact at senior official and ministerial level.

Housing

Yasmin Qureshi: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government how many homes have been completed as a result of the new homes bonus to date.

Kris Hopkins: The bonus is now recognising nearly 550,000 new build/conversions and over 93,000 long-term empty homes returned to use.
	According to recent Office for National Statistics figures, new orders in residential construction have risen to their highest level since 2007.
	I also refer the hon. Member to my answer of2 December 2013, Official Report, columns 558-59W.

Housing: Greater London

Rushanara Ali: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government what assessment he has made of the effect on London house prices of overseas investment in new build homes in the capital.

Kris Hopkins: Foreign investment in new housing has been helping provide the finance to build new-housing that would not otherwise be viable. In turn, these new housing developments not only provide new homes, but also unlock the affordable housing that may be linked to the new development. Moreover, even if property is foreign-owned, much of it may then be rented out to domestic residents.
	These points were made powerfully by my predecessor, my hon. Friend the Member for Hertford and Stortford (Mr Prisk), in the debate on foreign-owned UK property on 20 June 2013, Official Report, column 1161 onwards, pointing to research by the Greater London authority, Berkeley Homes and Jones Lang LaSalle.
	Of course, London is a global city (not least due to the free movement rules of the European Union and European Economic Area), but foreign sales should not be overstated. In a report in October, Knight Frank estimated that between 85% and 90% of new-build sales in Greater London were sold to domestic buyers, and there was “no indication of a shift towards higher non-resident purchases” in the last two years. They added: “our research points to the fact that the majority of demand for new-build property in London from overseas remains focussed on the relatively small and concentrated market made up of the central London postcodes” (Knight Frank, International Buyers in London October 2013). The Bank of England's financial stability report from November also estimated that foreign buyers represent just 3% of all residential transactions in London, and were concentrated in ‘prime’ central areas of London.
	Notwithstanding, it is important that the owners of foreign-owned property pay their way, which is why this Government has taken action to tackle tax avoidance by reforming taxation of high-value UK residential property held by non-natural persons, and is also levelling the playing field by introducing capital gains tax on future gains made by non-residents disposing of UK residential property.
	We would also encourage the property industry to ensure that homes for sale should be marketed in the United Kingdom, and not solely overseas: this is both in their financial interests and their reputational interests.

Planning Permission: Staffordshire

Aidan Burley: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government how many planning appeals have resulted in local authority decisions being overturned by the planning inspector in (a) Cannock Chase constituency and (b) Staffordshire since 2010.

Nicholas Boles: Planning is a quasi-judicial process; it is a long-standing feature of the planning system that there is a right of appeal, just as there are with other local quasi-judicial decisions such as on licensing applications, gambling applications or parking fines.
	The following table is by local authority area:
	
		
			  Calendar year: 
			  2008 2009 2010 2011 2012 2013 to date 
			 Cannock Chase appeals received 25 17 12 9 7 6 
			 Cannock Chase appeals allowed 16 8 5 3 3 1 
			 Staffordshire appeals received 321 266 235 243 169 163 
			 Staffordshire appeals allowed 118 92 81 93 67 65 
		
	
	These figures show how the number of planning appeals received and allowed has fallen under the National Planning Policy Framework, refuting the suggestion of ‘planning by appeal’.

Social Rented Housing

Andrew Stunell: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government what steps he has taken to speed up the delivery of replacement social homes for rent for those lost through Right to Buy; and if he will make a statement.

Kris Hopkins: The reinvigorated Right to Buy scheme is helping social tenants become new home owners; it levers in new finance to increase construction and house building; and it assists new people into affordable housing who would otherwise be on a housing waiting list.
	One of the key changes we have made to the Right to Buy is to ensure that all additional receipts raised from local authority Right to Buy sales are used to directly fund new homes for affordable rent. Since April 2012, £219 million has been generated from additional sales and 1,622 homes have been started on site or acquired.
	There will invariably be a certain time lag between the Right to Buy sale and the construction of the new build home, but the replacement timetable is in control of the local authority. If a council were to fail to spend the receipts within three years, it would be required to return the unspent money to government with interest. This provides a strong financial incentive for any slow-coach councils to use this new funding and get on with building more homes for local people.

Social Rented Housing

Frank Field: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government what estimate he has made of the proportion of local authority social housing lets in (a) London and (b) Birmingham that have been recorded in the Continuous Recording of Lettings and Sales data for that year; and what proportion of such records included information on the nationality of the tenant.

Kris Hopkins: Continuous recording of lettings data on local authority social housing lets (both general needs and supported housing) were provided by Birmingham city council and all London local authorities for 2012-13. The information requested is as follows:
	
		
			  Proportion of total local authority social housing lettings recorded (percentage) Proportion of these records that include nationality information (percentage) 
			 London 81 72 
			 Birmingham 71 86 
		
	
	This is an improved response rate over 2011-12 and reflects continuing engagement with data providers and efforts by local authorities to report data. The Department has also recently published further guidance for authorities in the reporting of household information in Continuous Recording of Lettings data, which is available at:
	https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/provision-of-social-lettings-data-advice-to-local-authorities
	Published official estimates of the characteristics of households receiving lettings use statistical methods to adjust for missing data.
	Ministers have been very clear that local authorities should ensure they have up-to-date information about prospective tenants' nationality and immigration status, in order to ascertain their eligibility for social housing, It is clearly unacceptable that some local authorities are failing to collect or provide accurate information about social housing being given to foreign nationals.

INTERNATIONAL DEVELOPMENT

Afghanistan

Gavin Shuker: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development how many women have been involved in senior negotiations and decisions on the UKs withdrawal from Afghanistan; and what proportion of the total number of senior negotiators and decision makers this figure represents.

Justine Greening: Details of the membership of the National Security Council are publicly available.

Developing Countries: Health Services

Tony Cunningham: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development 
	(1)  what steps her Department is taking to address the shortage of health workers in developing countries; and if she will make a statement;
	(2)  what steps she is taking to increase human resources available for health services in developing countries.

Lynne Featherstone: The UK is helping countries develop their own health care systems, including country efforts to build and maintain health worker capacity. DFID supports the health workforce in the countries in which we work through programmes that help train new health workers such as nurses, birth attendants and midwives.
	In addition, DFID funds the Health Partnership Scheme that supports partnerships between UK health institutions and partners in developing countries to strengthen health worker skills. DFID also provides funding to the Global Health Workforce Alliance, which advocates for improved human resources for health and which supports countries health workforce coordination and planning.

Developing Countries: Sanitation

Naomi Long: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development if she will attend the Sanitation and Water for All high level meeting in Washington DC on 11 April 2014.

Justine Greening: The UK will be represented at an appropriate level at the 2014 Sanitation and Water for All (SWA) high level meeting. This meeting will focus on accountability and the progress each country, including the UK, has made in meeting the commitments made at the 2012 high level meeting. DFID officials are working with the SWA Secretariat on the agenda for the high level meeting.

Sudan

William Bain: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development what assessment she has made of the number of fatalities from yellow fever in Sudan's West and Southern Kordofan states in the last year.

Lynne Featherstone: The Sudanese Federal Ministry of Health (FMOH) recently notified the World Health Organisation (WHO) of a yellow fever outbreak affecting twelve localities in West and South Kordofan states. According to WHO, between 3 October and 24 November 2013, a total of 44 suspected cases of yellow fever including 14 deaths were reported from this outbreak.

Sudan

William Bain: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development what representations she has made to the United Nations on the polio vaccination campaign that had been due to take place in Sudan's Southern Kodorfan and Blue Nile states.

Lynne Featherstone: We continue to believe that a cross line polio vaccination campaign led by UNICEF and WHO is a priority and we have supported this with lobbying across the board at all levels of the United Nations (UN). The issue was most recently raised with the Deputy Executive Director of UNICEF on 11 December 2013 during his mission to Sudan. We also pushed hard for and were successful in securing a statement by the UN Security Council in October 2013.

Sudan

William Bain: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development what assessment she has made of the effect of the recent polio vaccination campaign in Sudan's Southern Kordofan and Blue Nile states.

Lynne Featherstone: The first phase of Sudan's national polio vaccination campaign has taken place in all areas with the exception of those areas of South Kordofan and Blue Nile states which are controlled by the Sudan People's Liberation Movement—North (SPLM-N). We remain greatly concerned that the 165,000 children in those areas have not been vaccinated, and have continued to lobby the Government of Sudan and the leadership of SPLM-N to agree the terms for a cessation of hostilities which would allow for a full campaign to take place.

HEALTH

Autism

John Glen: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what steps his Department is taking to ensure that local authorities are consulting with people with autism, their families and community-based charities as they develop local plans to implement the Adult Autism Strategy.

Norman Lamb: Local authorities (LAs) should be working with people with autism, their families and community based charities to implement the Adult Autism Strategy. As part of the current review of that strategy, LAs and their partners have taken part in the national autism self-assessment exercise on progress made in implementing the strategy. This included a question on engaging people with autism and their carers in planning which was answered by 151 LAs. Only seven said that minimal engagement work had taken place, with the remainder scoring themselves higher than that, of which 83 said that a variety of mechanisms are being used so a cross section of people on the autistic spectrum are meaningfully engaged in the planning and implementation of the strategy.

Breast Cancer

Nigel Evans: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what steps his Department is taking to promote campaigns to tackle breast cancer.

Jane Ellison: Campaigns are now the responsibility of Public Health England (PHE). Be Clear on Cancer campaigns (encouraging symptom recognition and earlier general practitioner presentation) have been running since early 2011 and have covered a number of cancers, nationally and regionally. Breast cancer (specifically aimed at women over 70) forms part of the programme. Following successful local and regional pilots, a national breast cancer campaign targeting women aged 70 years plus and their influences will run from 3 February to 16 March 2014 and will include television, press, direct mail and out-of-home media advertising. The key message is: ‘1 in 3 women who get breast cancer are over 70, so don’t assume you're past it’.

Cancer: South Yorkshire

Caroline Flint: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what the proportion of people in the latest survey with suspected cancer is who have seen a cancer specialist within the two weeks target in (a) Doncaster and (b) South Yorkshire.

Jane Ellison: The information is not available in the format requested. The target for two week, waits following general practitioner (GP) urgent referrals for suspected cancer is 93%.
	In quarter two of 2013-14 at Doncaster and Bassetlaw Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust 93.4% of patients attended out-patient appointments within two weeks of an urgent referral from their GP for suspected cancer.
	In quarter two of 2013-14 for Doncaster Clinical Commissioning Group (CCG) 94.6% of patients attended out-patient appointments within two weeks of an urgent referral from their GP for suspected cancer.
	The 2013-14 quarter two figures for other CCGs in South Yorkshire are;
	Barnsley CCG: 96%
	Bassetlaw CCG: 91.2%
	Rotherham CCG: 95.1%
	Sheffield CCG: 94.1%.

Cannabis

Mark Williams: To ask the Secretary of State for Health 
	(1)  what his policy is on the use of cannabis in the treatment of multiple sclerosis;
	(2)  what recent studies his Department has commissioned on the medicinal uses of cannabis.

Norman Lamb: Cannabis and its preparations are Class B controlled drugs under the Misuse of Drugs Act 1971. In the United Kingdom, it is illegal to produce, possess, supply, import and export cannabis except under Home Office licence. Cannabis is also subject to international drug control under United Nations Conventions.
	Cannabis is listed in Schedule 1 of the Misuse of Drugs Regulations 2001 as the UK does not recognise that it has any medicinal use. UK pharmacists are only able to possess, supply or dispense Schedule 1 drugs under a Home Office licence.
	Sativex (nabiximols), a cannabis-derived mouth spray, is licensed in the UK as an add-on treatment for moderate to severe spasticity in multiple sclerosis and can be prescribed on the NHS.
	In April 2013, the Home Office rescheduled Sativex from a Schedule 1 controlled drug to a part 1 Schedule 4 controlled drug. The rescheduling reflects Sativex's low potential for abuse or diversion.
	The National Institute for Health and Care Excellence (NICE) is currently updating its clinical guideline on the management of multiple sclerosis in primary and secondary care. The scope of the guideline states that, it will cover the management of spasticity with Sativex in patients with multiple sclerosis. NICE currently expects to issue its updated guideline in October 2014. NICE clinical guidelines are developed through consultation with stakeholders.
	In the absence of NICE guidance on Sativex, it is for national health service commissioners to make funding decisions based on an assessment of the available evidence and the individual patient's clinical circumstances.
	The Department has not commissioned any recent research on the medicinal uses of cannabis.
	A study funded by the Medical Research Council on cannabinoid use in progressive inflammatory brain disease is within the portfolio of research managed by the Department's National Institute for Health Research (NIHR) through the NIHR Evaluation, Trials and Studies Coordinating Centre. Details of this study can be found on the centre's website at:
	www.nets.nihr.ac.uk/projects/ememrc/0980001

Childbirth

Andrea Leadsom: To ask the Secretary of State for Health 
	(1)  what support his Department makes available for the emotional health of women during pregnancy;
	(2)  what support his Department provides to families who have had premature births;
	(3)  what the annual cost is of premature births to the NHS;
	(4)  what support is given to the families of premature babies to help them form a secure bond with their babies;
	(5)  what support his Department provides to women to help them maintain a healthy pregnancy.

Daniel Poulter: Women should receive maternity care that focuses on their needs and emotional well-being. The Mandate from the Government to NHS England includes an objective that every woman has a named midwife who is responsible for ensuring she has personalised, one-to-one care throughout pregnancy, childbirth and during the postnatal period.
	Families who have had premature births are supported by the neonatal unit providing care for their baby. NHS England is responsible for commissioning neonatal critical care services for sick and premature babies. Clear quality standards for neonatal care are outlined in the Department's Toolkit for High-Quality Neonatal Service and the NICE Quality Standard for Specialist Neonatal Care. NHS England commission neonatal critical care services against these standards.
	In line with NHS England's standard contract for neonatal critical care, neonatal services should provide a family centred approach to care that involves families in the care of their baby and helps them understand their baby's needs.
	Information on the annual cost of premature births to the national health service is not collected centrally.
	Family centred care puts the physical, psychological and social needs of both the baby and their family at the heart of all care given. To support bonding parents are encouraged to participate in their baby's care at the earliest opportunity. This can include regular skin to skin contact, feeding and day to day care such as nappy changing. The Department awarded Bliss—the National charity for the Newborn (for years 2010-13) a grant for ‘Family Centred Care: A guide for parents project’, which aims to improve parent's experience of neonatal care and help them to establish their role as parents as soon as possible.
	Women receive advice on maintaining a healthy pregnancy from their midwife as part of routine antenatal care. Additional support and advice is available on the NHS Choices website and through the NHS Information Service for Parents and through the Start4Life campaign.

Clinical Commissioning Groups

Kevin Barron: To ask the Secretary of State for Health 
	(1)  if he will make an assessment of the potential effect on local services of NHS England's proposed changes to the funding formula for NHS Wakefield Clinical Commissioning Group;
	(2)  if he will make an assessment of the potential effect on local services of NHS England's proposed changes to the funding formula for NHS North Kirklees Clinical Commissioning Group;
	(3)  if he will make an assessment of the potential effect on local services of NHS England's proposed changes to the funding formula for NHS Leeds South and East Clinical Commissioning Group;
	(4)  if he will make an assessment of the potential effect on local services of NHS England's proposed changes to the funding formula for NHS Leeds West Clinical Commissioning Group;
	(5)  if he will make an assessment of the potential effect on local services of NHS England's proposed changes to the funding formula for NHS Greater Huddersfield Clinical Commissioning Group;
	(6)  if he will make an assessment of the potential effect on local services of NHS England's proposed changes to the funding formula for NHS Bradford City Clinical Commissioning Group;
	(7)  if he will make an assessment of the potential effect on local services of NHS England's proposed changes to the funding formula for NHS Leeds North Clinical Commissioning Group;
	(8)  if he will make an assessment of the potential effect on local services of NHS England's proposed changes to the funding formula for NHS Bradford Districts Clinical Commissioning Group;
	(9)  if he will make an assessment of the potential effect on local services of NHS England's proposed changes to the funding formula for NHS Calderdale Clinical Commissioning Group;
	(10)  if he will make an assessment of the potential effect on local services of NHS England's proposed changes to the funding formula for NHS Airedale, Wharfdale and Craven Clinical Commissioning Group;
	(11)  if he will make an assessment of the potential effect on local services of NHS England's proposed changes to the funding formula for NHS Sheffield Clinical Commissioning Group;
	(12)  if he will make an assessment of the potential effect on local services of NHS England's proposed changes to the funding formula for NHS Rotherham Clinical Commissioning Group;
	(13)  if he will make an assessment of the potential effect on local services of NHS England's proposed changes to the funding formula for NHS Doncaster Clinical Commissioning Group;
	(14)  if he will make an assessment of the potential effect on local services of NHS England's proposed changes to the funding formula for NHS Bassetlaw Clinical Commissioning Group;
	(15)  if he will make an assessment of the potential effect on local services of NHS England's proposed changes to the funding formula for NHS Barnsley Clinical Commissioning Group;
	(16)  if he will make an assessment of the potential effect on local services of NHS England's proposed changes to the funding formula for NHS Vale of York Clinical Commissioning Group;
	(17)  if he will make an assessment of the potential effect on local services of NHS England's proposed changes to the funding formula for NHS Scarborough and Ryedale Clinical Commissioning Group;
	(18)  if he will make an assessment of the potential effect on local services of NHS England's proposed changes to the funding formula for NHS North Lincolnshire Clinical Commissioning Group;
	(19)  if he will make an assessment of the potential effect on local services of NHS England's proposed changes to the funding formula for NHS North East Lincolnshire Clinical Commissioning Group;
	(20)  if he will make an assessment of the potential effect on local services of NHS England's proposed changes to the funding formula for NHS Hull Clinical Commissioning Group;
	(21)  if he will make an assessment of the potential effect on local services of NHS England's proposed changes to the funding formula for NHS Harrogate Rural District and Clinical Commissioning Group;
	(22)  if he will make an assessment of the potential effect on local services of NHS England's proposed changes to the funding formula for NHS Hambleton, Richmondshire and Whitby Clinical Commissioning Group;
	(23)  if he will make an assessment of the potential effect on local services of NHS England's proposed changes to the funding formula for NHS East Riding of Yorkshire Clinical Commissioning Group.

Norman Lamb: Responsibility for resource allocation is a matter for NHS England as set out in The Mandate. The Government has made clear in the mandate that one of the governing principles should be equal access for equal need, and that changes in allocations should not result in the destabilising of local health economies.
	Initial findings from NHS England's fundamental review of allocation policy, which drew on the expert advice of the independent Advisory Committee on Resource Allocation and, involved a range of external partners, were considered by the NHS England board at their meeting on 17 December. The board paper is available at:
	www.england.nhs.uk/wp-content/uploads/2013/12/bm-item7.pdf
	I refer the right hon. Member to the written ministerial statement issued by the Secretary of State for Health, the right hon. Member for South West Surrey (Mr Hunt), on 17 December 2013, Official Report, columns 88-89WS.

Compulsorily Detained Mental Patients: Young People

Alison Seabeck: To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many beds are available to juveniles who have been sectioned under the Mental Health Act with violent behaviour as one of the indicators; and where each such bed is situated.

Norman Lamb: We do not hold the information in the form requested. However, we do have data on the number of Child and Adolescent Mental Health Services (CAMHS) medium secure, low secure and psychiatric intensive care beds as shown in the following table.
	However, not all those placed in CAMHS low and medium secure beds or psychiatric intensive care unit (PICU) beds will necessarily have been sectioned under the Mental Health Act or presented with violent behaviour.
	
		
			    PICU 
			 Organisation name Name of site Name of ward/unit Total low Total medium Total 
			 Alpha Hospital, Bury Alpha Hospital Bury Buttercup 0 12 0 
			 Alpha Hospital, Bury Alpha Hospital Bury Mulberry 12 0 0 
			 Alpha Hospital, Bury Alpha Hospital Bury Primrose 8 0 0 
			 Alpha Hospital, Woking Alpha Hospital Woking Parkview First—Female Therapeutic Ward (Non-Admission) 11 0 0 
			 Alpha Hospital, Woking Alpha Hospital Woking Parkview Ground—Male 6 0 0 
			 East London NHS Foundation Trust Coborn Centre Coborn Centre 3 0 0 
			 Greater Manchester West Mental Health NHS Foundation Trust Prestwich Hospital Gardener Unit 0 0 10 
			 North Essex Partnership University NHS Foundation Trust St. Aubyn Centre Larkwood 10 0 0 
			 Northumberland, Tyne and Wear NHS Foundation Trust Alnwood Wilton 0 0 6 
			 Northumberland, Tyne and Wear NHS Foundation Trust Ferndene Stephenson 0 8 0 
			 Northumberland, Tyne and Wear NHS Foundation Trust Ferndene Redburn ICU 4 0 0 
			 Northumberland, Tyne and Wear NHS Foundation Trust Alnwood Lennox 0 0 7 
			 Northumberland, Tyne and Wear NHS Foundation Trust Alnwood Ashby 0 0 9 
			 Oakview Hospital Oakview—London Oakview—London 0 10 0 
			 Priory Hospital, Marchwood Southampton Priory Kingfisher Ward 0 10 0 
			 Priory Hospital ,North London Priory Hospital, North London Adolescent Unit 0 14 0 
			 St. Luke's Health Care St. Luke's Health Care Cherry Oak 0 10 0 
			 Tees, Esk and Wear Valleys NHS Foundation Trust West Lane Hospital, Middlesbrough Westwood 0 10 0 
			 The Huntercombe Hospital—Stafford Huntercombe Hospital, Stafford Hartley 12 0 0 
			 The Priory Hospital, Cheadle Royal Cheadle Royal Meadows 12 0 0 
			 The Priory Hospital, Cheadle Royal Cheadle Royal Woodlands 0 10 0 
			 West London Mental Health NHS Trust W London Mental Health NHS Trust Wells Unit 0 0 10 
			    78 84 42

Dementia

Bob Russell: To ask the Secretary of State for Health if he will issue guidance to employers and employees on identifying signs of early dementia; and if he will make a statement.

Norman Lamb: The Government does not have plans to issue guidance solely aimed at employers and employees on identifying signs of early dementia. However, next year, Public Health England, working with Alzheimer's Society, will launch a three year, £12 million social movement to make the nation more aware of dementia and how to help people with the condition. Aside from public-facing activity, the movement will target business partners and urge them to continue roll out the Dementia Friends programme within their organisations, giving their employees an understanding of dementia and the supportive action they can take to help themselves, family, friends and customers. In addition, the NHS Health Check programme offers advice and support to help people aged 40 to 74 make lifestyle changes that can reduce their risk of dementia and other conditions, and now includes dementia awareness advice for those aged 65 to 74 years. Further information is available at:
	www.healthcheck.nhs.uk

Gender Recognition

Kate Green: To ask the Secretary of State for Health pursuant to the answer of 9 December 2013, Official Report, column 96W, on gender recognition, 
	(1)  what the average waiting time from GP referral to an appointment at a gender identity clinic was in (a) the North West and (b) England in each of the last three years for which data are available;
	(2)  how many people have been referred to gender identity clinics in each of the last three years for which data are available.

Norman Lamb: This information is not held centrally. Hospital Episode Statistics data cannot be used to identify gender identity clinics; gender identity is not a treatment specialty identified in the data.

General Practitioners: South Yorkshire

Caroline Flint: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what proportion of patients were provided with a GP appointment within 48 hours in (a) Doncaster and (b) South Yorkshire for the last quarter for which figures are available.

Jane Ellison: The information requested is not collected.

Health Education

Luciana Berger: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what Public Health England's campaign plans are in relation to (a) alcohol, (b) tobacco, (c) obesity and (d) physical activity.

Jane Ellison: Public Health England has not yet finalised its campaign plans for the 2014-15 financial year but will publish its marketing plan in the spring.
	The plan will be subject to approval by the Cabinet Office's Efficiency Reform Group.

Health Services: Reciprocal Arrangements

Andrew Love: To ask the Secretary of State for Health 
	(1)  what progress has been made on the implementation of Article 21.1 of EU Directive 2011/24 regarding cross border access to health care; and if he will make a statement;
	(2)  how many EU member states have transposed into national law EU Directive 2011/24, on the application of patients' rights in cross-border healthcare; and if he will make a statement;
	(3)  what steps his Department has taken to implement EU Directive 2011/24; and what assessment he has made of the progress of other EU member states in implementing that directive.

Jane Ellison: As of 12 December 2013, the Department of Health understands from the European Commission that six member states have fully transposed the directive, seven member states, including the United Kingdom, have provided a partial notification of transposition, and a further four member states will transpose by the end of 2013.
	On behalf of Wales, Scotland, Gibraltar and England, on 24 October, the Department of Health submitted a partial notification to the European Commission on the implementation of the EU directive on cross-border healthcare.
	Officials from the Department of Health, Social Services and Public Safety in Northern Ireland have advised that the regulations transposing the directive in Northern Ireland will come into operation before the end of this year.
	With regard to steps taken by the Department of Health, the National Health Service (Cross-Border Healthcare) Regulations 2013, the implementing regulations for England and Wales, came into force on 25 October 2013, to coincide with the transposition deadline.

Ministers

Ian Lucas: To ask the Secretary of State for Health how much was spent on ministerial salaries in the last year for which figures are available.

Daniel Poulter: Information about the ministerial salaries is in the public domain and is published annually as part of the Department's Annual Report and Accounts Resource Accounts Remuneration Report. The latest 2012-13 accounts are available at:
	www.official-documents.gov.uk/document/hc1314/hc00/0046/0046.pdf
	The following table has been extracted as follows from the 2012-13 accounts:
	
		
			 Table 3: Minister Salaries Department of Health Annual Report and Resource Accounts -Remuneration Report - P57 
			 £ 
			  2011-2012 2012-13 
			  Salary Full year equivalent salary Lords Ministers night subsistence FYE Lords Ministers night subsistence Salary Full year equivalent salary Lords Office holders' allowance FYE Lords Office holders' allowance Compensation for loss of office 
			 Jeremy Hunt1 — — — — 34,413 68,827 — — — 
			 Norman Lamb2 — — — — 16,501 33,002 — — — 
			 Daniel Poulter3 — — — — 13,692 23,697 — — — 
			 Anna Soubry3 — — — — 13,692 23,697 — — — 
			 Earl Howe4, 5 68,710 68,710 18,183 18,183 68,710 68,710 18,183 18,183 — 
		
	
	
		
			 Andrew Lansley4, 6 68,827 68,827 — — 31,727 68,827 — — — 
			 Simon Burns1, 7 33,002 33,002 — — 16,501 33,002 — — — 
			 Paul Burstow1, 7 33,002 33,002 — — 14,118 33,002 — — 8,251 
			 Anne Milton1,7 23,697 23,697 — — 11,514 23,697 — — — 
			 1 Secretary of State started on payroll from 1 October 2011, paid by DCMS for September. 2 Minister joined Department on 1 October 2012 and £627.03 pay arrears not included paid by BIS for September. 3 Minister joined Department on 5 September 2012, includes £65.83 overpaid and recovered salary. 4 There was no increase for 2012-13 with salaries remaining at the entitled rate as at 31 March 2008. 5 Earl Howe is entitled to the full amount of Lords Ministers night subsistence however, he only claimed 50% or his entitlement which amounts to £18,183 in 2011-12 and 2012-13. 6 Secretary of State until September 2012 on payroll until 30 September 2012 then transferred to Cabinet Office payroll. 7 Ministers in post until 4 September 2012.

Musculoskeletal Disorders

Annette Brooke: To ask the Secretary of State for Health for what reason musculoskeletal conditions were not included in the first planned wave of primary care data into the care.data programme.

Norman Lamb: NHS England is taking forward the implementation of the care.data programme. All clinical conditions, including musculoskeletal conditions, should be included in the extract of primary care data for the care.data programme with the exception of those conditions designated as "sensitive".
	NHS England is working with the Health and Social Care Information Centre to prepare a further submission to the General Practice Extraction Service Independent Advisory Group to ensure that a wider range of conditions, including musculoskeletal conditions, are contained in the specification.

NHS: Foreign Workers

Tony Cunningham: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what assessment he has made of the effect of migrant health workers from developing countries working in the National Health Service.

Daniel Poulter: The Department is not able to make an assessment as the number of migrant health workers from developing countries is not collected centrally.
	Although in earlier years the national health service relied quite heavily on recruiting staff overseas, efforts to recruit, train and retain staff in this country have paid off in recent years. The NHS now has many more health care professionals, and is much closer to self-sufficiency—in line with World Health Organisation recommendations.
	However, given the size and complexity of the NHS it is likely that it will still need to recruit some doctors (and other skilled staff) from overseas to fill gaps in service provision.
	The United Kingdom has signed the World Health Organisation Code of Practice on the International Recruitment of Health Personnel and the UK was a member/donor of the Global Health Workforce Alliance.
	NHS organisations are strongly advised to adhere to the Code of Practice in all matters concerning the international recruitment of health care professionals across all disciplines—including the appointment of medical staff, nurses, dentists, radiographers, physio- therapists, occupational therapists and all other allied health professionals.

Nurses

Simon Hughes: To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many nurses are engaged in full-time daily care of patients in (a) England and (b) Greater London.

Daniel Poulter: The number of full-time equivalent nurses, midwives and health visitors working in the national health service in England and Greater London are set out in the following table.
	The proportion of a nurse's time spent on patient care will vary from trust to trust and post to post.
	The data is from the Health and Social Care Information Centre (HSCIC) 2012 Annual Workforce Census, which reflects the numbers of NHS staff employed in England on 30 September in each year in both primary care and hospital and community health services. The 2012 Workforce Census is the most recent; the next Census will be published in March 2014 and will reflect the position as at 30 September 2013.
	
		
			 NHS Hospital and Community Health Service and General Practice (GP) workforce as at 30 September 2012 (excluding bank staff)—Full-time equivalents 
			  England Of which: London 
			 Total qualified nursing staff1 319,755 53,745 
			 Qualified nursing, midwifery and health visiting staff 305,060 51,886 
			 GP practice nurses2 14,695 1,860 
			 1 Nursing and midwifery figures exclude students on training courses leading to a first qualification as a nurse or midwife. 2 Practice staff counts for 2010 and 2011 have been revised to provide a 100% census, with estimated numbers for those practices with null returns. Further details can be found in the data quality statement/methodology. Sources: HSCIC: General and Personal Medical Services; Medical and Dental Workforce Census; Non-medical Workforce Census

Social Workers: Temporary Employment

Stephen McCabe: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what estimate he has made of the number of agency social workers employed by local authorities in 2013-14.

Norman Lamb: The information requested is not available within the Department.

LEADER OF THE HOUSE

Human Rights: Children

Sarah Teather: To ask the Leader of the House what steps he has taken to ensure that the parliamentary Counsel are made aware of the UK's international human rights obligations relating to children including the United Nations Convention on the Rights of the Child.

Andrew Lansley: Parliamentary Counsel draft legislation on instructions from departmental lawyers. The Office of Parliamentary Counsel believes it is important for its drafters to have a sound knowledge of human rights law, both with regard to children and more generally. Drafters are supported in this by, amongst other things, a variety of training opportunities and knowledge-sharing arrangements. A reminder about the United Nations Convention on the Rights of the Child has recently been issued to members of the Office.

SCOTLAND

Scottish Independence: Effect on North-east England

Julie Elliott: To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland what recent assessment he has made of the potential effect of Scottish independence on the economy of the north-east of England.

David Mundell: The detailed Scotland analysis papers we have published, underline the value to the economy, across the whole of the United Kingdom, of Scotland remaining as part of the Union.
	As it stands, the UK is a true domestic single market, with free movement of goods and services, capital and people.

Civil Service

Michael McCann: To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland whether he has had discussions with the Cabinet Secretary on the impartiality of the civil service in Scotland in relation to its involvement in preparing the Scottish Government document, “Scotland's Future”.

Alistair Carmichael: I have no doubt that the civil service in Scotland has provided full advice to Scottish Ministers—it is for the Scottish Government to account for the use of that advice.
	They are of course accountable to the Scottish Parliament.

Post Office Network

Michael Connarty: To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland when he last met representatives of the Post Office to discuss the network transformation programme and its potential effect on post offices in Scotland.

David Mundell: The Scotland Office is in regular communication with the Post Office on the network transformation programme. I last met with representatives of the Post Office in November when I had the pleasure of visiting the new Post Office in Biggar, in Lanarkshire, to discuss a range of issues.

Treasury Analysis Papers

Stephen Metcalfe: To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland what discussions he has had with the Chancellor of the Exchequer on HM Treasury's Scotland analysis papers.

Alistair Carmichael: I have held, and will continue to hold, regular discussions with various Government Ministers on the Scotland analysis papers.
	The Scotland analysis programme will continue to publish papers that set out how Scotland contributes to and benefits from being part of the UK.

Infrastructure Programme

Mark Lazarowicz: To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland what assessment he has made of the potential effect of the Government’s infrastructure programme on Scotland.

Alistair Carmichael: The UK Government’s national infrastructure plan sets out the decisive action we are taking to support long-term investment in energy, transport, telecommunications and innovation. These lie at the very heart of a successful Scottish economy.

“Scotland’s Future”

Cathy Jamieson: To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland what assessment he has made of the implications for his Department’s policies of the Scottish Government document “Scotland's Future”; and if he will make a statement.

Alistair Carmichael: The Scottish Government’s White Paper has been long awaited.
	Unfortunately it fails to provide a sufficient response to any key referendum questions on issues such as currency, costings and pensions.
	If Scotland votes for independence their future will need to be negotiated with the remaining UK and others.

Ministers

Ian Lucas: To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland how much was spent on ministerial salaries in the last year for which figures are available.

David Mundell: Since the coalition formed in 2010, ministerial salaries within the Scotland Office have not increased. The amount spent on ministerial salaries is published in the Scotland Office Annual Report and Accounts. Figures for the last financial year, 2012-13, can be found at:
	https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/annual-report-and-accounts-2012-13--2

CULTURE MEDIA AND SPORT

Betting Shops

William Bain: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport what estimate she has made of (a) the numbers of licensed betting establishments in each parliamentary constituency in each of the last five financial years, (b) the numbers of B2 machines operated in such licensed betting establishments in each parliamentary constituency in each of the last five financial years, (c) the gross amounts gambled on those machines in each parliamentary constituency in each of the last five financial years and (d) the net annual profits derived from such gambling in each constituency in each of the last five financial years.

Helen Grant: The Department does not collate figures on licensed betting offices or category B2 gaming machines by parliamentary constituency.
	The Gambling Commission's most recent industry statistics publication shows that, at 31 March 2013, there were 9,055 licensed betting offices nationwide. For previous years, as of 31 March, there were the following numbers of licensed betting offices: approx. 8,862 in 2009, approx. 8,822 in 2010, 9,067 in 2011 and 9,128 in 2012.
	The industry statistics show that, between April 2012 and March 2013, there were on average 33,209 B2 gaming machines available for use in licensed betting offices. For previous years, the average was as follows: 31,439 in 2008-09, 33,663 in 2009-10, 32,832 in 2010-11 and 33,270 in 2011-12.
	Figures for the gross amount gambled are unavailable, however the gross gambling yield (the amount retained by operators after the payment of winnings but before the deduction of the costs of the operation) for these machines between April 2012 and March 2013 was £1,547 million. For previous years, the gross gambling yield was as follows: £1,051 million in 2008-09, £1,167 million in 2009-10, £1,302 million in 2010-11 and £1,450 million in 2011-12.

Culture: Finance

Alex Cunningham: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport what plans she has to review her Department's allocation of capital for culture projects to ensure that areas across the country are treated equitably.

Edward Vaizey: There are no plans to review the Department's allocation of capital for culture projects at this time. Ring-fenced allocations of capital grant in aid are allocated by DCM5 towards a number of major projects carried out by ALBs. DCMS also provides capital funding to arm’s length bodies (ALBs) including Arts Council England, English Heritage, 15 sponsored museums and galleries and the British Library. Decisions on how to invest core capital grant in aid are made by those ALBs, independently of Government.

Marriage

Chris Bryant: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport how many officials in her Department are working on allowing same-sex couples to convert their civil partnerships to marriages.

Helen Grant: holding answer 18 December 2013
	DCMS has approximately nine full-time equivalent policy and legal staff working on implementing the Marriage (Same Sex Couples) Act 2013. The new procedures and processes required specifically for the conversion of civil partnerships into marriages are the responsibility of a number of other Departments.

Olympic Games 2012

Gareth Thomas: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport pursuant to the answer of 4 December 2013, Official report, columns 668-9W, on National Lottery: Olympic Games 2012, what estimate she has made of the receipts that will arise on completion of the Olympic Village in 2014; and if she will make a statement.

Helen Grant: The receipt to be realised from the sale of part of the Village for private renting will be confirmed in 2014 following completion of the sale. What can be confirmed at this stage is that £71 million of this receipt will go to the Olympic Lottery Distribution Fund (OLDF).

Pay Television

Diana Johnson: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport whether offices of (a) her Department and (b) its executive agencies have access to Sky Sports or an equivalent premium sports television service; and what the cost to the public purse is in each case.

Helen Grant: DCMS receives its TV feed from the Parliamentary Network, as it requires access to the House of Commons and House of Lords Annunciator feed and coverage. The Broadcast channels, provided by the Network, include Sky Sports 1, 2 and 3. The feed is provided over fibre cable. DCMS pays £1,275 per month for the fibre connections, including maintenance, between the House and the 100 Parliament street.

Radio: Advertising

Guto Bebb: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport when her Department plans to hold a consultation on broadcast advertising rights for community radio stations.

Edward Vaizey: The consultation will be published shortly. The details will be published on the DCMS section of the Gov.UK website.

Remembrance Day

Andrew Rosindell: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport who is permitted to lay a wreath at the Remembrance Sunday service at the Cenotaph; and on whose behalf such people lay wreaths.

Helen Grant: Tradition and precedent maintain that the following people lay wreaths at the Remembrance Sunday service at the Cenotaph:
	Her Majesty the Queen lays a wreath on behalf of the nation, while the Duke of Edinburgh, the Prince of Wales, the Duke of York, the Princess Royal, the Duke of Kent, the Earl of Wessex, the Duke of Cambridge and Prince Henry of Wales lay wreaths in their own right.
	The Prime Minister lays a wreath on behalf of Her Majesty's Government and the Leader of the Opposition lays a wreath on behalf of Her Majesty's Opposition. The Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs lays a wreath on behalf of British Overseas Territories. The High Commissioners of the Commonwealth countries lay wreaths on behalf of the Commonwealth. The First Sea Lord, Chief of the General Staff, and the Chief of the Air Staff lay wreaths on behalf of the individual armed services. While representatives of the Merchant Navy and Fishing Fleets, the Air Transport Auxiliary Association, the Civilian Services lay wreaths on behalf of the Merchant Navy and Fishing Fleets and the Air Transport Auxiliary respectively.

Remembrance Day

Andrew Rosindell: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport who currently lays wreaths on behalf of (a) the Crown Dependencies and (b) the British Overseas Territories at the Remembrance Sunday service at the Cenotaph.

Helen Grant: The Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs lays a wreath on behalf of the British Overseas Territories. A wreath is not laid on behalf of the Crown Dependencies.

Remembrance Day

Andrew Rosindell: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport what process is used when the decision is made as to who is permitted to lay a wreath at the Remembrance Sunday service at the Cenotaph.

Helen Grant: There is no specific process which determines who is permitted to lay a wreath at the Remembrance Sunday service. Tradition, precedent and practicality set out those who lay wreaths at the Remembrance Sunday service at the Cenotaph.

Remembrance Day

Andrew Rosindell: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport if he will make it his policy to advise the Royal Household that each of the (a) British Overseas Territories and (b) Crown Dependencies should be allowed to lay a wreath of their own at the Remembrance Sunday service at the Cenotaph.

Helen Grant: Tradition, precedent and practicality sets out those who lay wreaths at the Remembrance Sunday service at the Cenotaph. The Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs lays a wreath on behalf of the British Overseas Territories and there are no plans to change the existing arrangements for wreath laying.

WOMEN AND EQUALITIES

Babies

Philip Hollobone: To ask the Minister for Women and Equalities what progress has been made in promoting the provision of breast feeding and baby care facilities in high streets.

Helen Grant: This does not fall under the Government Equalities Office remit. The Government recognises that breastfeeding has significant short and long-term health benefits for both mothers and children beyond the period of breastfeeding itself. However, the Government is also aware that breastfeeding is a personal choice for each woman to make and that not all mothers are able to, or choose to, breastfeed. The Department of Health is committed to supporting breastfeeding through the Healthy Child programme, as set out in the White Paper “Healthy Lives, Healthy People: Our strategy for public health in England”.

Bishops: Females

Guy Opperman: To ask the Minister for Women and Equalities what steps she has taken to support the Church of England's General Synod on the subject of women bishops.

Helen Grant: I strongly support the Synod in the progress that it has made this year towards enabling women to become bishops. It is widely acknowledged that women already do a tremendous job within the Church of England and the time has come to take the final step of enabling women to become bishops. I understand that, the Synod hopes their legislative process to enable the appointment of women bishops will be completed by the end of 2014.
	It is important to note, that decisions about the Church of England's internal structure and organisation are matters for the Church itself and not Government.

Gender Recognition

Sharon Hodgson: To ask the Minister for Women and Equalities if she will bring forward legislative proposals to amend the Sexual Offences Act 2003 to ensure equal treatment of those who are transgender or of indeterminate sex.

Helen Grant: The Sexual Offences Act 2003 does not fall within the remit of the Government Equalities Office.

BUSINESS, INNOVATION AND SKILLS

Apprentices

Gloria De Piero: To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills 
	(1)  what the median pay was in each sector of Government sponsored apprenticeships in each of the last three years; and what the median pay for each such sector in each such year was for (a) women and (b) men;
	(2)  what the (a) average gross hourly pay and (b) median annual salary was of Government-sponsored hairdressing apprenticeships in England and Wales in each of the last three years;
	(3)  what the (a) average gross hourly pay and (b) median annual salary was of Government-sponsored engineering apprenticeships in England and Wales in each of the last three years;
	(4)  what the (a) median and (b) mean (i) annual and (ii) hourly salary is for (A) men and (B) women in Government-sponsored apprenticeship schemes; and what the equivalent figures were in each of the last three years.

Matthew Hancock: Information on apprenticeship pay in England and Wales by sector framework and gender is published in research findings from the Apprenticeship Pay Survey. The most recent surveys cover apprentices working in 2011 and 2012:
	https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/apprenticeship-pay-survey-2012
	https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/apprenticeship-pay-survey-2011

Apprentices

Gloria De Piero: To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills 
	(1)  what the gender breakdown was of Government-sponsored hairdressing apprenticeships in England and Wales in each of the last three years;
	(2)  what the gender breakdown was of Government-sponsored engineering apprenticeships in England and Wales in each of the last three years.

Matthew Hancock: Information on apprenticeship starts by gender and Sector Framework is published in a supplementary table to a Statistical First Release:
	http://www.thedataservice.org.uk/NR/rdonlyres/DE9F098F-97AC-49E3-AB93-DCE58EC9B8C5/0/June2013_ApprenticeshipStartsbySectorFrameworkLevelGender _revised.xls
	http://www.thedataservice.org.uk/Statistics/fe_data_library/Apprenticeships/
	Full year apprenticeship starts information for the 2012/13 academic year is not yet published by gender and sector framework. The Department does not collect further education information relating to the devolved Administrations.

Apprentices

Matthew Offord: To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills what estimate his Department has made of the number of new apprenticeship schemes created in (a) England, (b) London and (c) Hendon constituency since 2010.

Matthew Hancock: Information on the number of apprenticeship starts by geography is published in a supplementary table to a Statistical First Release:
	http://www.thedataservice.org.uk/NR/rdonlyres/6D9AE2BF-CDB4-44C9-AB55-0EACF719BBBE/0/Nov2013_Apprenticeship_Starts.xls
	http://www.thedataservice.org.uk/Statistics/fe_data_library/Apprenticeships/

Business: Hendon

Matthew Offord: To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills what steps his Department is taking to support small businesses in Hendon constituency in accessing finance.

Matthew Hancock: Small businesses are vital to the economy and this Government is supporting them in many ways.
	Of course, economic stability, lower taxes, deregulation, and a culture of enterprise are vital to business growth. Gov.uk is the home for Government services and information online.
	www.gov.uk
	One of the tools available is the 'Finance Finder', a searchable database of publicly-backed sources of finance. The tool helps businesses to explore the full range of options available, from Government grants to investment finance available from Business Angels and Venture Capitalists.
	The BIS guide “SME access to finance schemes: measures to support small and medium-sized enterprise growth” is available on the same website by searching for the title and provides details on the main forms of public support available to businesses. The website
	www.greatbusiness.gov.uk
	also provides support and advice for businesses trying to grow as well as for entrepreneurs starting out. In addition to on-line support, the Business Services Helpline is available to provide a quick response on queries about starting a business, or a personalised and in-depth advice service for more complex needs.
	Start-Up Loans are available to anyone over the age of 18 starting a business (or in the early stages of doing so) but lacking access to the necessary finance or support to realise their ambitions. In Hendon, 32 loans have been made with a total value of £200,149. Further information about Start-Up Loans can be found at:
	http://www.startuploans.co.uk
	We have put in place a package of credit easing measures, to improve the supply of affordable credit to small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs). ‘Funding for Lending’ is supporting the supply of credit to the whole economy. In April 2013 we extended the scheme and made it much more generous to SMEs. We are also supporting SMEs who lack sufficient trading record or collateral by providing a Government guarantee. In Hendon, 18 SMEs have been offered ‘Enterprise Finance Guarantee’ loans worth over £2.04 million since May 2010. Companies in Hendon have also received funding of over £600,000 through schemes such as the Early Growth Fund and Regional Capital Venture Fund.
	For businesses ready to go further there is ‘GrowthAccelerator’—a £200 million programme for up to 26,000 high growth potential SMEs, providing them with expertise and networks to achieve sustainable growth.

EU External Trade: USA

Jim Cunningham: To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills what his policy is on the EU's proposed Transatlantic Trade and Investment Partnership; and if he will make a statement.

Michael Fallon: The Transatlantic Trade and Investment Partnership (TTIP) is a top priority for the Government. It has the potential to be the largest bilateral trade agreement in history and to bring significant economic benefits, in terms of growth and jobs, to both sides of the Atlantic. The UK has consistently pushed for an ambitious and broad agreement that eliminates the vast majority of tariffs, addresses behind-the-border barriers across sectors and seeks to achieve regulatory coherence between Europe and the US. We are working with the Commission and other member states to develop a comprehensive agreement which reflects UK priorities.
	There are compelling strategic reasons for the TTIP. It demonstrates clear EU-US leadership on the trade agenda and a firm commitment to liberalisation and open markets. This is an important opportunity to establish 21st century trade rules. The TTIP is also central to the Government's vision of a reformed EU which is more competitive and able to deliver jobs and growth for its citizens.
	Negotiations are progressing as planned, with two rounds completed and a third taking place this week in Washington. The third round has a broad focus, including services, investment, procurement, regulatory coherence, and various sectoral discussions. The negotiations will be tough but we hope that a deal can be reached by early 2015.

EU External Trade: USA

Jim Cunningham: To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills what assessment he has made of the proposed Transatlantic Trade and Investment Partnership for national sovereignty and the ability of governments to act in the public interest.

Michael Fallon: While the Commission has competence under the EU's Common Commercial Policy to conduct trade negotiations, it does so in accordance with mandates from the Council. In the case of the Transatlantic Trade and Investment Partnership (TTIP) we would expect the final agreement to be a mixed competence agreement, requiring ratification by each member state.
	Negotiations for TTIP are at an early stage. As with any trade or investment agreement, the UK aims to promote the UK's trade and investment interests while ensuring that the UK Government is not prevented from acting in the public interest.

Graphene: Patents

Chris Ruane: To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills how many UK-based patents have been granted for use of graphene in each year since that material's discovery.

David Willetts: The number of UK-based patents granted for the use of graphene, by year of grant, is given in the following table.
	
		
			 Year of grant Number of UK-based patents 
			 2013 7 
			 2012 4 
			 2011 1 
		
	
	All years prior to 2011 contain zero results.

Graphene: Patents

Chris Ruane: To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills what assessment he has made of the implications of public policy on the number of UK-based patents for graphene; and if he will make a statement.

David Willetts: The UK is a global leader in research into graphene. The Government is investing £50 million to create the Graphene Global Research and Technology Hub. This will ensure that the UK remains a leader in the development of applications for graphene.
	Patent statistics may be used as an indicator of the state of development of a particular technology, and of which companies and universities participate in its development. The Intellectual Property Office is working with the Technology Strategy Board in its technology assessment programmes.

Overseas Trade: Scotland

Margaret Curran: To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills what support UK Trade & Investment has provided to Ministers in the Scottish Government (a) during overseas trips and (b) in relations with foreign governments since May 2010.

Michael Fallon: Detailed information is not held centrally and could be obtained only at disproportionate cost.
	British Government Overseas Posts do provide support to Scottish Ministers on overseas visits, when requested. UK Trade & Investment and UK Export Finance also provide support to Scottish businesses.

Royal Mail

Andrew Love: To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills what assessment he has made of effects of privatisation of Royal Mail on the Post Office.

Jo Swinson: Post Office Ltd has been a separate, independent company since April 2012. Through its network of more than 11,500 branches, the company provides access to around 170 products and services, including those of Royal Mail, but also a wide range of Government services, financial products and services, and telephony products.
	In 2012, prior to separation from Royal Mail, Post Office Ltd signed a long-term, commercially negotiated agreement with Royal Mail for the continued supply of services through the post office network. This is a legally binding agreement and is not affected by the sale of shares in Royal Mail.
	The two companies are natural commercial and business partners and the chief executive of Royal Mail has said it would be "unthinkable" that there would not always be a strong commercial relationship between the two companies.

CABINET OFFICE

Charitable Donations

Barry Sheerman: To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office what estimate he has made of the amount donated to UK charitable organisations through UK crowdfunding platforms in the last year

Nick Hurd: The information requested is not held centrally. Crowdfunding is a new and innovative way for people to support charitable organisations and I am interested to see how it develops.

Civil Servants: Scotland

Ann McKechin: To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office what representations his Department has received from the Scottish Government in the last 12 months on continuity of employment of UK Government civil servants working in Scotland in the event of Scottish independence, as outlined in Scotland's Future: Your Guide to An Independent Scotland.

Nick Hurd: The Cabinet Office has not received any representations from the Scottish Government on this matter in the last 12 months.

Deloitte

Charlotte Leslie: To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office what discussions he has had with the Secretary of State for Health regarding assessment of work by Deloitte under its NHS contracts for consultancy services in the first quarter of 2010.

Nick Hurd: holding answer 17 December 2013
	As was the case under previous Administrations internal discussions are not normally disclosed.

Lone Parents

Nigel Evans: To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office what estimate he has made of the number of children being cared for by a single parent in (a) Ribble Valley constituency, (b) Lancashire and (c) the UK.

Nick Hurd: The information requested falls within the responsibility of the UK Statistics Authority. I have asked the authority to reply.
	Letter from Caron Walker, dated December 2013
	On behalf of the Director General for the Office for National Statistics, I have been asked to respond to your question asking the Secretary of State for Education what estimate has been made of the number of children being cared for by a single parent in (a) Ribble Valley constituency, (b) Lancashire and (c) the UK. (130564)
	The number of dependent children living in lone parent families in different areas of the UK can be estimated using the Annual Population Survey. Dependent children are those living with their parent(s) and either (a) aged under 16, or{b) aged 16 to 18 in full-time education, excluding children aged 16 to 18 who have a spouse, partner or child living in the household.
	
		
			 Dependent children living in lone parent families 2012 
			  Thousand 
			 Ribble Valley parliamentary constituency 2 
			 Lancashire County1 55 
			 United Kingdom 3,084 
			 1 Lancashire county consists of 12 local authority districts. The two unitary authorities formerly in the ceremonial county of Lancashire are excluded here. 
		
	
	As with any sample survey, estimates from the Annual Population Survey are subject to a margin of uncertainty.

Minimum Wage

William Bain: To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office how many people aged 22 or over resident in each (a) local authority area and (b) parliamentary constituency were employed in jobs paying less than the national minimum wage in 2013.

Nick Hurd: The information requested falls within the responsibility of the UK Statistics Authority. I have asked the authority to reply.
	Letter from Caron Walker, December 2013
	On behalf of the Director General for the Office for National Statistics, I have been asked to reply to your recent Parliamentary Question asking the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, how many people aged 22 or over resident in each (a) local authority area and (b) parliamentary constituency, were employed in jobs paying less than the national minimum wage in 2013. (180489).
	Estimates for the number of jobs paid below the national minimum wage in the United Kingdom are produced using data from the Annual Survey of Hours and Earnings (ASHE), but estimates are not available below Regions. The table shows the regional estimates for April 2013, the latest period for which results are available. Figures relate to employee jobs, which are defined as those held by employees and not the self-employed. It is not possible for reasons of quality to provide an age breakdown for these figures.
	A guide to measuring low pay and associated articles can be found on the National Statistics website at:
	http://wasppreview/ons/guide-method/method-quality/specific/labour-market/annual-survey-of-hours-and-earnings/new-annual-survey-of-hours-and-earnings.html
	
		
			  Jobs paid below national minimum wage (thousand) Percentage 
			 North East 215 1.5 
			 North West 130 1.1 
			 Yorkshire and Humber 130 1.4 
			 East Midlands 120 1.1 
			 West Midlands 132 1.4 
			 East of England 125 1.0 
			 London 125 0.7 
			 South East 127 0.8 
			 South West 127 1.2 
			 Wales 213 1.2 
			 Scotland 117 0.7 
			 Northern Ireland 119 2.8 
			 UK 279 1.1 
			 Guide to quality: The Coefficient of Variation (CV) indicates the quality of a figure, the smaller the CV value the higher the quality. The true value is likely to lie within +/- twice the CV—for example, for an average of 200 with a CV of 5%, we would expect the population average to be within the range 180 to 220. Key: * CV>5% and<=10% **CV>10% and<=20%

Press Releases

Chi Onwurah: To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office for what reasons a quote from Jonathan Isaby, Political Director of the Taxpayer's Alliance, was included in his Department's press release, Government savings reach £5.4 billion at mid-year point, published on 7 November 2013.

Nick Hurd: It has been the practice of successive Governments over many years to reference views, statistics or research from external organisations in communications materials.
	For a couple of examples from a previous Government I refer the hon. Member to:
	http://webarchive.nationalarchives.gov.uk/20070701141754/http:/www.hm-treasury.gov.uk/newsroom_and_speeches/press/2007/press_65_07.cfm
	http://webarchive.nationalarchives.gov.uk/20070701141754/http:/www.hm-treasury.gov.uk/newsroom_and_speeches/press/2007/press_67_07.cfm

TREASURY

Ministers

Ian Lucas: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer how much was spent on ministerial salaries in the last year for which figures are available.

Nicky Morgan: HM Treasury ministerial salary expenditure is published each year in the HM Treasury annual report and accounts:
	https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/hm-treasury-annual-report-and-accounts-2012-to-2013

National Income

Steven Baker: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he will make it his policy to adopt the gross output measure of the economy developed by the US Bureau of Economic Analysis in order to reveal the total sales volume at all stages of production in the UK.

Nicky Morgan: The Government regards the headline measure of gross domestic product (GDP) to be the most relevant measure of aggregate economic activity. These figures are published by the Office for National Statistics (ONS). The ONS also publish estimates of gross output at aggregate, institutional sector and industry level as part of the wider UK National Accounts.

EDUCATION

Children's Centres

Jim Cunningham: To ask the Secretary of State for Education how many children's centres there were in the 30 per cent of most deprived areas across England, calculated according to the Index of Multiple Deprivation, in (a) 2010, (b) 2011, (c) 2012 and (d) 2013.

Elizabeth Truss: My Department has carried out a data-cleansing and survey exercise to assure me of the level of confidence in figures provided by local authorities on the Sure Start-on database. This has shown that in 2010 there were actually 3,615, not 3,6311, centres open, as there were 15 centres which local authorities entered onto the database which did not subsequently open and one duplicate record.
	Of these 3,615 centres, information from local authorities shows that 65 have closed. Six new centres have opened.
	As of 30 November 2013, 3,055 children's centres that local authorities have designated as statutory children's centres are open.
	There are a further 501 sites which were designated as children's centres in April 2010 that remain open and offering services to families and children as part of a network of children's centres.
	Due to these data issues, reliable information in connection with areas of multiple disadvantage is not yet available. We will provide this information as soon as possible.
	To ensure that the data presented to the public is as accurate as possible, the Government will now review the way in which the children's centres data is collected from local authorities and presented on the direct.gov website. The website will be amended overnight to reflect the correct current position.
	To provide the information for earlier years would incur disproportionate cost.
	1https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/numbers-of-sure-start-childrens-centres-april-2010

Children's Centres

Harriet Harman: To ask the Secretary of State for Education how many children's centres there were in each local authority area in the latest period for which figures are available.

Elizabeth Truss: My Department has carried out a data-cleansing and survey exercise to assure me of the level of confidence in figures provided by local authorities on the Sure Start-on database. This has shown that in 2010 there were actually 3,615, not 3,6311, centres open, as there were 15 centres which local authorities entered onto the database which did not subsequently open and one duplicate record.
	Of these 3,615 centres, information from local authorities shows that 65 have closed. Six new centres have opened.
	As of 30 November 2013, 3,055 children's centres that local authorities have designated as statutory children's centres are open.
	There are a further 501 sites which were designated as children's centres in April 2010 that remain open and offering services to families and children as part of a network of children's centres.
	Due to these data issues we are not yet able to provide accurate numbers by local authority area but will provide that further information as soon as possible.
	To ensure that the data presented to the public is as accurate as possible, the Government will now review the way in which the children's centres data is collected from local authorities and presented on the direct.gov website. The website will be amended overnight to reflect the correct current position.
	1 https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/numbers-of-sure-start-childrens-centres-april-2010

Higher Education: Admissions

Peter Aldous: To ask the Secretary of State for Education what proportion of school leavers in each constituency went to (a) Russell Group Universities and (b) the University of Oxford and the University of Cambridge in the latest year for which data is available.

Matthew Hancock: The requested data are published here:
	https://www.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploads/attachment_data/file/231113/KS5_Parliamentary_Constituency_Percentages_SFR192013.xlsx
	These show the Key Stage 5 Destination Measures Parliamentary Constituency Tables for 2010/11 destinations, and are the latest data available. The Russell Group and Oxford and Cambridge University figures can be found in the table labelled ‘KS5_PCON_PER’.
	A copy of the document has been placed in the House Library.

Languages: Education

Nigel Evans: To ask the Secretary of State for Education what steps he is taking to increase the number of young people who speak a second language.

Elizabeth Truss: As I stated in my reply to the hon. Gentleman on 28 November 2013, Official Report, column 400W, the English Baccalaureate is already encouraging more young people to take a second language at GCSE level. The number of pupils entered for a modern foreign language GCSE at the end of key stage 4 (ages 14 to 16) in England increased by over 20% from 2012 to 2013.
	We have made study of a foreign language compulsory at key stage 2 (ages seven to 11) as part of the new national curriculum, which comes into force from September 2014. The new programmes of study for key stages 2 and 3 (ages 11 to 14) set out that teaching a foreign language should enable pupils to express their ideas and thoughts in another language and to understand and respond to its speakers, both in speech and in writing.

Ofsted

Alex Cunningham: To ask the Secretary of State for Education when (a) he, (b) the Minister of State for Schools and (c) the Minister of State for Skills and Enterprise received a copy of Ofsted's Annual Report 2013.

David Laws: Section 121 of the Education and Inspections Act 2006 sets out that Her Majesty's Chief Inspector has a duty to report annually to the Secretary of State and that the Secretary of State must lay the report before each House of Parliament. In order to fulfil this requirement, the commentary section, which includes the letter from the Chief Inspector presenting the annual report, was sent to the Secretary of State on 4 December. Ministers received the full report on 10 December.

Ofsted

Alex Cunningham: To ask the Secretary of State for Education whether Ofsted released its annual 2013 Annual Report to media organisations before 10.00am on 11 December 2013.

David Laws: This question is a matter for Ofsted. I have asked Her Majesty's Chief Inspector, Sir Michael Wilshaw, to write to the hon. Member. A copy of his reply has been placed in the House Library.

Schools: Armed Forces

Alex Cunningham: To ask the Secretary of State for Education what measures are in place to ensure clarity of responsibility between his Department and the Ministry of Defence over safeguarding concerns in Combined Cadet Forces.

David Laws: The position on safeguarding responsibilities is very clear and is set out in guidance from the Department for Education and from the Ministry of Defence (MOD).
	The armed forces' responsibility over safeguarding in Combined Cadet Forces (CCF) is clearly set out in two MOD Joint Service Publications (JSPs). JSP 313 includes a CCF Responsibility Matrix, which states that responsibility for Disclosure and Barring Service clearance of Contingent Officers lies with the School Head/Contingent Commander. For a CCF, the school head teacher may delegate this to the Contingent Commander, but the head teacher retains ultimate responsibility. JSP 535 is the Cadet Training Safety Precautions and sets out policy and procedures on child safeguarding and provides Cadet Force Adult Volunteers with specific guidance for dealing with accidents, incidents and child safeguarding issues.
	Schools' responsibilities are set out in statutory guidance from the Department for Education on safeguarding: ‘Working Together to Safeguard Children 2013’ and ‘Safeguarding Children and Safer Recruitment in Education’. The guidance covers the issue of volunteers working with children, for example in school cadet units.

Schools: Armed Forces

Alex Cunningham: To ask the Secretary of State for Education what assessment he has made of the results of the Military ethos in schools programme.

David Laws: The development of military ethos, such as self-discipline, resilience, teamwork and leadership, lead to positive outcomes both for individual young people and for society as a whole.
	Alternative Provision providers inform us of progress and impact on a regular basis. They also undertake their own independent evaluation exercises. These include a study by Swansea University into Commando Joe's programmes in four schools serving 57 pupils, which found that 56% of pupils in the study improved their mathematics academic achievement grades, 46% of pupils in the study improved their academic reading achievement grades and 70% of pupils in the study improved their academic writing achievement grades.
	In addition, research by the National Foundation for Educational Research (NFER) into Knowsley Skills Academy (KSA) found that 90% of the 30 individuals not in education, employment or training (NEETs) on the company's programme gained employment. NFER reported that:
	“Feedback from young people, parents and other agencies indicates that KSA is making considerable progress at turning around the lives of young people and giving them the motivation and skills to make a successful return to mainstream education”.
	Teacher assessment of the direct impact on 32 pupils involved in Challenger Troop programmes found that 77% of pupils showed improvement in self-control and behaviour after six months, with 10% showing improvement after one day. It also found that 86% showed improvement in their social skills after six months and 73% showed improvement in their self-awareness and confidence after six months.
	It is too early for us to assess the impact of Troops to Teachers on schools as the under-graduate programme does not commence until-January 2014.
	It is also too early to make an assessment of the impact on new cadet units in schools set up under the programme in 2013. However, early discussions with schools indicate that the programme is already making a positive difference to children, as is evident in this recent quote from one school participating in the programme:
	“it has offered a valuable and incredibly rich outlet to students who do not typically throw themselves into the life of the school”.

Schools: Armed Forces

Alex Cunningham: To ask the Secretary of State for Education what plans he has to expand the Military ethos in schools programme.

David Laws: Last month the Department for Education awarded £4.8 million of grants to military ethos providers in addition to the £3.2 million already committed last academic year.
	As part of a wider engagement between the services and schools, Troops to Teachers will develop eligible service leavers into teachers through a combination of additional financial support and the introduction of a bespoke initial teacher training course from January 2014.
	The Cadet Expansion programme aims to create 100 new cadet units based in English state funded schools by 2015. The programme has been given £10.85 million by the Department for Education and Ministry of Defence so that more young people can benefit from the cadet experience, and to increase the number of state schools benefiting from having a cadet force as part of school life.

Schools: Armed Forces

Alex Cunningham: To ask the Secretary of State for Education what the evidential basis is for the benefits of a Military ethos in schools.

David Laws: Two studies have provided evidence on the benefits of Cadet Force membership. These are: “The Societal Impact of Cadet Forces”, November 2010, by the universities of Portsmouth and Southampton and “The Impact of Combined Cadet Force Contingents in state secondary schools in Wales”, June 2009, by the university of Wales Newport, School of Education. Results from the Portsmouth and Southampton study suggest “that cadets tend to have high levels of respect for authority and others and high levels of self-esteem. They are likely to be committed citizens and have heightened aspirations.”
	Self-discipline has been shown to be a greater indicator of future success than IQ. This is set out in two reports. Duckworth, A.L, and Seligman, M.E.P. (2005) Self-discipline outdoes IQ in predicting academic performance of adolescents’ Psychological Science, 16:12 pg. 939-944 and Feinstein, L (2000) The Relative Economic Importance of Academic, Psychological and Behavioural Attributes Developed in Childhood London: Centre for Economic Performance (LSE).
	Duckworth and Seligman looked at the importance of self-discipline on a group of 13 and 14 year olds from a socioeconomically and ethnically diverse school. They conducted a two-year study of the students' self-discipline levels, finding that self-discipline was a significantly better predictor of academic performance than IQ. Feinstein finds that a sense of personal agency at the age of ten is more important to future chances than reading skills. We also know that the percentage of cadets that re-offend or commit a serious offence is significantly less than the national average.
	We have evidence from the US Troops to Teachers (T3) programme that troops can make outstanding teachers who are likely to have a more significant result on the achievement of children and to remain in teaching longer than teachers recruited through other routes. The US T3 programme identified that one of the benefits that Service Leavers brought to the classroom is that they provide a role model to whom disadvantaged children can relate. This benefit was also highlighted on the BBC Panorama programme about Troops to Teachers on 28 February 2011.

Schools: Armed Forces

Alex Cunningham: To ask the Secretary of State for Education what consideration was given to sources other than the Military in the design of a programme to foster the values of self-discipline and teamwork.

David Laws: Military ethos is about improving educational attainment, and those things that support it such as good behaviour and attendance, through instilling positive qualities and values such as confidence, resilience, self-control, loyalty, agency, teamwork and problem solving. These qualities are of course not exclusive to the military. In the UK we have a strong tradition of youth uniformed organisations, such as Girlguiding UK. and the Scout Association, or St John's Ambulance and the Boy's and Girl's Brigades, who have an excellent track record of developing young people from a variety of backgrounds and of building their self-esteem and ability to self-manage.
	Schools may also support a wide range of non-uniformed activities such as the Duke of Edinburgh Award scheme, the National Citizen Service and other sports, adventure and volunteering schemes.
	The education system in England has a diverse range of alternative provision, delivered either in school or offsite, that helps foster these values. These include provision with work-based elements such as construction, or activity-based elements such as sports. It is for schools to decide what alternative provision is most suitable for their pupils. We have removed restrictions over maintained schools' power to direct pupils to be educated offsite for the purposes of improving their behaviour.
	I also refer the hon. Member to my answer to PQ 180303.

Schools: Armed Forces

Alex Cunningham: To ask the Secretary of State for Education what alternatives to physical activities are available for those unable to take part in military ethos programmes as a result of a disability or for other reasons.

David Laws: Schools should ensure that their curriculum provision offers opportunities for all pupils and is inclusive of those with disabilities.

Schools: Armed Forces

Alex Cunningham: To ask the Secretary of State for Education how many instances of bullying, abuse or neglect were reported by cadets in school Combined Cadet Forces in each academic year between 2010 and 2013.

David Laws: We are not aware of any such incidents related to pupils' experience as cadets. Safeguarding incidents would be for the relevant local authority to follow up with the school and, where relevant, the local brigade.

Schools: West Sussex

Henry Smith: To ask the Secretary of State for Education what support his Department plans to give to parents affected by the decision to withdraw funding from April 2014 of the Discovery New School in Crawley constituency; and if he will employ and assist West Sussex Local Education Authority in managing school places.

Edward Timpson: The Department's officials are working closely with the Chair of governors of Discovery New School and West Sussex county council (WSCC) to ensure that the children's move to other local schools is managed with as little disruption as possible. WSCC is committed to working with the Department for Education to ensure that there are suitable places ready in good local schools.
	WSCC contacted the school and parents on the day of the announcement and has also offered to visit the school to offer advice to parents on securing a new school place for their children. The Department will continue to liaise with WSCC and offer support throughout the process.

Sixth Form Education

Alex Cunningham: To ask the Secretary of State for Education what steps he is taking to tackle poor performance in school and academy sixth forms.

David Laws: The Department for Education has recently consulted on proposals to reform the accountability system for 16-19 education to secure sharper accountability across all 16-19 schools and colleges. This includes proposals to strengthen minimum standards.
	The Government introduced interim 16-19 minimum standards that applied to school and academy sixth forms for the first time in May 2013. In recognition that the standards were a new and interim measure of performance, no formal action was taken in relation to schools and academies falling below the interim 16-19 standard this year. However, all schools and academies falling below the standard were issued with letters, and academies were informed that in the event that they continued to be below the 16-19 standards, further action, in accordance with their funding agreement, may be considered.
	All schools and academies remain subject to Ofsted inspection.

Sixth Form Education

Alex Cunningham: To ask the Secretary of State for Education how many (a) schools and (b) academy sixth forms have success rates in the education of 16 to 19 year olds lower than the minimum performance levels expected of further education colleges in that area.

David Laws: The qualification success rates for 16 to 18-year-olds are not comparable to the success rates used for adult Further Education Minimum Level of Performance. Producing a comparable measure would incur disproportionate costs.
	The Department for Education introduced interim minimum standards for 16 to 18-year-olds in 20121. These standards are based on attainment rather than success rates.
	1http://www.education.gov.uk/childrenandyoungpeople/youngpeople/participation/b00218198/16-19-accountability/interim-minimum-standards-2011-12
	An explanation of the Level 3 interim measure can be found here:
	https://www.education.gov.uk/schools/performance/2012/download/2012_16-19_Interim_minimum_standards.xlsx

Teachers: Training

Nicholas Dakin: To ask the Secretary of State for Education what assessment he has made of the effects of the time taken to allocate subject knowledge enhancement places on the capacity of universities to recruit to those programmes in the 2013-14 academic year.

David Laws: Subject knowledge enhancement (SKE) places are no longer allocated to a restricted group of institutions. All schools and initial teacher training (ITT) providers that were allocated teacher training places on 31 October were informed on 8 November that they could access funding for subject knowledge enhancement. This was to increase their capacity to recruit from 21 November, when the UCAS Teacher Training application system for ITT opened. As with the previous scheme, SKE in 2013/14 will be available to supplement the knowledge of suitable applicants for ITT, but now to a far wider group of providers and schools.

Teachers: Training

Nicholas Dakin: To ask the Secretary of State for Education for what reasons the allocation of subject knowledge enhancement places to universities in academic year 2013-14 was not made until 8 November 2013.

David Laws: Following the review of the subject knowledge enhancement (SKE) programme and subsequent consultation with stakeholders, we have changed the way SKE operates. SKE places are no longer allocated to a restricted group of institutions; rather funding to source SKE provision is available to all institutions with initial teacher training (ITT) places. Once schools and ITT providers had teacher training allocations confirmed on 31 October, they could be informed on 8 November that they could access funding for SKE. This was to increase their capacity to recruit from 21 November, when the UCAS Teacher Training application system for ITT opened.

Written Questions: Government Responses

Harriet Harman: To ask the Secretary of State for Education pursuant to question 177099 tabled on 20 November 2013 for answer on 25 November 2013, when he plans to answer that question.

Elizabeth Truss: I have answered the hon. Member's question today.

JUSTICE

Contempt of Court

John Hemming: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice how many people were received into custody for contempt of court in each month since January 2012.

Jeremy Wright: The following tables set out the number of people who were received into custody for contempt of court between January 2012 and June 2013 (the latest available figures). Contempt of court covers a wide variety of conduct which undermines or has the potential to undermine the course of justice. I welcome the Law Commission's report on contempt and look forward to discussing its recommendations.
	
		
			 Month in 2012 Number of people received into custody for contempt of court 
			 January 11 
			 February 12 
			 March 7 
			 April 7 
			 May 12 
			 June 7 
			 July 12 
			 August 13 
			 September 14 
			 October 10 
			 November 16 
			 December 10 
		
	
	
		
			 Month in 2013 Number of people received into custody for contempt of court 
			 January 8 
			 February 8 
			 March 10 
			 April 15 
			 May 11 
			 June 8

Driving Offences

David Simpson: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice how many people in each region were convicted of (a) a motoring offence that resulted in a fatality and (b) careless driving in 2012.

Jeremy Wright: The UK has one of the best road safety records in the world, but more can be done to prevent deaths and serious injuries. By improving the skills and attitudes of drivers and riders, providing better safety education and actively enforcing existing laws we are working to reduce the number of serious road traffic collisions and the appalling impact they can have on victims and their families.
	The total number of defendants found guilty of causing death by driving and careless driving, by region, in England and Wales, in 2012, can be viewed in the following table.
	
		
			 Defendants found guilty of (a) a motoring offence that resulted in a fatality and (b) careless driving in England and Wales 20121,2 
			  Region 
			 Offences East East Midlands London North East North West South East South West Wales West Midlands Yorkshire and Humberside England and Wales 
			 Motoring offence that resulted in a fatality 38 43 34 14 62 45 32 29 40 40 377 
			 Of which:            
			 Causing Death by Dangerous Driving3 11 12 14 4 21 7 12 9 12 14 116 
			 Causing Death by Careless Driving when under the influence of Drink or Drugs4 1 3 1 0 6 5 1 3 1 2 23 
			 Causing Death by careless or inconsiderate driving5 24 27 16 8 33 32 19 15 24 23 221 
			 Causing death by driving unlicensed, disqualified or uninsured drivers6 0 1 2 2 1 1 0 2 3 1 13 
			 Causing Death by Aggravated Vehicle Taking7 2 0 1 0 1 0 0 0 0 0 4 
			             
			 Careless Driving            
			 Careless Driving—Without due care and attention or reasonable consideration for other road users8 1,893 1,068 2,165 475 1,110 1,413 1,156 593 1,512 1,179 12,564 
		
	
	
		
			 1 The figures given in the table on court proceedings relate to persons for whom these offences were the principal offences for which they were dealt with. When a defendant has been found guilty of two or more offences it is the offence for which the heaviest penalty is imposed. Where the same disposal is imposed for two or more offences, the offence selected is the offence for which the statutory maximum penalty is the most severe. 2 Every effort is made to ensure that the figures presented are accurate and complete. However, it is important to note that these data have been extracted from large administrative data systems generated by the courts and police forces. As a consequence, care should be taken to ensure data collection processes and their inevitable limitations are taken into account when those data are used. 3 An offence under S.1 Road Traffic Act 1988 as amended by Road Traffic Act 1991 and Criminal Justice Act 2003 4 An offence under S.3A Road Traffic Act 1988added by Road Traffic Act 1991 and amended by Criminal Justice Act 2003 5 An offence under S.2B Road Traffic Act 1988added by Road Safety Act 2006 6 An offence under S.3ZB Road Traffic Act 1988added by Road Safety Act 2006 7 An offence under S. 12A(2)(a) [dangerous driving] or 12 A(2)(b) [injury/death] Theft Act 1968 8 An offence under S.3 Road Traffic Act 1988 Source: Justice Statistics Analytical Services—Ministry of Justice

Family Proceedings

John Hemming: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice which foreign governments have complained to the UK (a) before 2013 and (b) in 2013 about the treatment of their citizens in family court proceedings.

Shailesh Vara: This information is not collected centrally. I refer the hon. Member to the reply he received from my hon. Friend the Member for Crewe and Nantwich (Mr Timpson) on 30 January 2013, Official Report, column 813W.

Knives: Crime

Philip Davies: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice 
	(1)  pursuant to the answer of 1 July 2013, Official Report, column 480W, on knife crime, what the length was of each of the eight immediate custodial sentences contained in Table 8 of the Knife Possession Sentencing Quarterly Brief for the first quarter of 2013 which were handed down for the offence of threatening with a knife;
	(2)  which of the defendants in each sentencing category referred to in Table 8 of the Knife Possession Sentencing Quarterly Brief for the first quarter of 2013 (a) had a previous knife-related conviction, (b) had a previous violence-related conviction, (c) had any other previous conviction and (d) were sentenced for more than one offence at the same time as the offence of threatening with a knife.

Jeremy Wright: I understand that you have now received a response to your parliamentary question and I apologise for the delay.

Oakwood Prison

Ian Lucas: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice when he took the decision to have HMP Oakwood run by a private sector business.

Jeremy Wright: The right hon. Member for Blackburn (Mr Straw), who was Secretary of State for Justice in the Labour Government at the time, announced on 27 April 2009 the Government's intention to compete the operation of four existing prisons and one new build (HMP Oakwood). My right hon. and learned Friend the Member for Rushcliffe (Mr Clarke), my predecessor as Secretary of State for Justice in the coalition Government, announced on 31 March 2011 the outcome of the competition for HMP Oakwood.

Oakwood Prison

Sadiq Khan: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice how many sex offenders are held at HM Prison Oakwood; and how many places on sex offender treatment programmes are available at that prison.

Jeremy Wright: As of 30 September 2013 there were 299 prisoners held at HMP Oakwood with an index offence of a sexual nature. The prison acts as a treatment support site for HMP Stafford. As a consequence Oakwood have recently increased the number of staff trained in completing appropriate sex offender assessments and is planning to have all offender supervisors appropriately trained. Oakwood have run sex offender only Thinking Skills Programmes to meet identified needs.

Oakwood Prison

Sadiq Khan: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice 
	(1)  what the (a) agreed and (b) actual staffing levels have been at HM Prison Oakwood in each month since that prison opened;
	(2)  how many prison officer equivalent staff work on the wings at HM Prison Oakwood; and how many such staff are accredited and fully trained;
	(3)  how many staff at HM Prison Oakwood had no previous service in the prisons system when they went to work at HM Prison Oakwood;
	(4)  how many occasions prisoners have been (a) denied access to visits or (b) locked in their cells because of staffing shortages at HM Prison Oakwood since that prison opened.

Jeremy Wright: The information requested could not be obtained within the time scale. I will write to the right hon. Member in due course.

Oakwood Prison

Sadiq Khan: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice how many staff at HM Prison Oakwood have less than one year's service.

Jeremy Wright: Staff working at HMP Oakwood are employed by a number of providers, to deliver a range of services. These include, for example, probation services, education and health care, as well as custodial services.
	While G4S, the main provider, is not able to provide information covering staff employed by all these providers, within the last 12 months 385 people have been cleared to work at the prison. Most of these are employees of the various providers, but the figure also includes volunteers, such as Independent Monitoring Board members and lay visitors.

Prisoners: Suicide

Sadiq Khan: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice how many incidences of (a) suicide, (b) attempted suicide and (c) self-harm there were in (i) HM Prison Oakwood and (ii) on average in all adult prisons in each of the last three years.

Jeremy Wright: We are committed to open and transparent reporting of data relating to self-harm incidents and deaths in custody. It remains a priority to reduce the number of deaths and violence in prisons.
	Statistics on the number of (a) self-inflicted deaths and (c) self-harm incidents for each prison establishment are published on an annual basis in the Safety in Custody statistics bulletin, published at:
	https://www.gov.uk/government/collections/safety-in-custody-statistics
	Statistics on self-inflicted deaths by establishment can be found in Table 1.16 in the annual tables which accompany each publication, and the number of self-harm incidents in table 2.13.
	Figures for the rate of self-inflicted deaths and self-harm incidents in prison custody are given in tables 1.1 and 2.1 of the same bulletin. An attempted suicide will be recorded as a self- harm incident.

Prisons: Crimes of Violence

Jenny Chapman: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice how many assaults were committed against prisoners in each prison in England and Wales in each year since 2010.

Jeremy Wright: The National Offender Management Service (NOMS) and the Prison Officers Association (POA) are jointly committed to a zero tolerance approach to assaults on staff, visitors and prisoners.
	NOMS takes the issue of assaults in prisons very seriously. It currently has systems in place to deal with perpetrators quickly and robustly, with serious incidents referred to the police for prosecution.
	NOMS is committed to exploring options to continue to improve how violence is tackled in prisons to keep both staff and prisoners safe. It is currently looking at the policy and practice of the management of violence.
	The number of prisoner-on-prisoner assaults, including fights, in each prison in England and Wales in each year is provided in Table 1. Statistics on assaults in prison custody are published at a national level on a quarterly basis and annually for prison establishments and are published at:
	https://www.gov.uk/government/collections/safety-in-custody-statistics
	
		
			 Table 1: Number of prisoner-on-prisoner assaults, England and Wales 
			  Year 
			 Prison 2010 2011 2012 
			 Altcourse 265 282 261 
			 Ashfield 453 934 533 
			 Ashwell 9 0 0 
			 Askham Grange 1 0 0 
			 Aylesbury 200 127 102 
			 Bedford 80 72 83 
		
	
	
		
			 Belmarsh 39 45 45 
			 Birmingham 93 132 143 
			 Blantyre House 0 0 1 
			 Blundeston 36 13 17 
			 Brinsford 37 229 273 
			 Bristol 65 86 67 
			 Brixton 95 100 57 
			 Bronzefield 70 128 81 
			 Buckley Hall 37 18 31 
			 Bullingdon 91 51 39 
			 Bullwood Hall 17 19 21 
			 Bure 14 16 24 
			 Canterbury 30 24 22 
			 Cardiff 17 14 13 
			 Channings Wood 54 65 35 
			 Chelmsford 165 222 137 
			 Coldingley 17 24 31 
			 Cookham Wood 124 55 152 
			 Dartmoor 20 20 19 
			 Deerbolt 238 205 163 
			 Doncaster 141 228 351 
			 Dorchester 30 38 34 
			 Dovegate 116 80 103 
			 Dover 27 27 24 
			 Downview 16 31 26 
			 Drake Hall 22 13 31 
			 Durham 125 136 82 
			 Eastwood Park 20 23 21 
			 Edmunds Hill 40 11 0 
			 Erlestoke 28 23 30 
			 Everthorpe 62 50 48 
			 Exeter 65 111 94 
			 Featherstone 57 63 81 
			 Feltham 658 702 590 
			 Ford 6 5 6 
			 Forest Bank 202 260 262 
			 Foston Hall 9 2 4 
			 Frankland 52 55 39 
			 Full Sutton 49 31 24 
			 Garth 54 69 67 
			 Gartree 14 9 8 
			 Glen Parva 355 319 354 
			 Gloucester 43 38 36 
			 Grendon/Spring Hill 0 1 0 
			 Grendon/Spring Hill: Grendon 3 1 2 
			 Grendon/Spring Hill: Spring Hill 2 1 2 
			 Guys Marsh 48 50 55 
			 Haslar 4 5 9 
			 Hatfield 0 0 2 
			 Haverigg 58 79 88 
			 Hewell 140 157 166 
			 High Down 101 186 205 
			 Highpoint 67 129 174 
			 Hindley 238 299 287 
			 Hollesley Bay 0 4 1 
		
	
	
		
			 Holloway 26 40 43 
			 Holme House 106 111 89 
			 Hull 93 91 92 
			 Huntercombe 86 4 21 
			 IOW: Albany 20 20 25 
			 IOW: Camp Hill 53 38 45 
			 IOW: Parkhurst 30 25 35 
			 Isis 10 162 198 
			 Kennet 22 16 14 
			 Kingston 3 1 1 
			 Kirkham 0 0 4 
			 Kirklevington 2 1 0 
			 Lancaster Castle 6 1 — 
			 Lancaster Farms 225 277 173 
			 Leeds 72 77 127 
			 Leicester 41 72 73 
			 Lewes 64 86 90 
			 Leyhill 3 1 0 
			 Lincoln 66 125 125 
			 Lindholme 35 49 74 
			 Littlehey 80 170 170 
			 Liverpool 191 160 137 
			 Long Lartin 37 30 24 
			 Low Newton 44 47 42 
			 Lowdham Grange 49 82 100 
			 Maidstone 11 7 12 
			 Manchester 140 116 116 
			 Moorland 82 28 30 
			 Moorland Open 2 0 0 
			 Morton Hall 14 11 37 
			 Mount 44 52 39 
			 New Hall 23 12 1 
			 North Sea Camp 8 11 6 
			 Northallerton 95 58 23 
			 Northumberland — — 99 
			 Northumberland: Acklington 79 98 21 
			 Northumberland: Castington 146 30 14 
			 Norwich 58 66 108 
			 Nottingham 71 108 85 
			 Oakwood — — 29 
			 Onley 119 111 70 
			 Parc 339 338 256 
			 Pentonville 206 231 186 
			 Peterborough 258 249 180 
			 Portland 131 135 121 
			 Preston 100 140 107 
			 Ranby 68 79 94 
			 Reading 32 22 24 
			 Risley 63 70 57 
			 Rochester 216 183 118 
			 Rye Hill 35 65 60 
			 Send 11 15 12 
		
	
	
		
			 Sheppey: Elmley 91 115 108 
			 Sheppey: Standford Hill 9 3 0 
			 Sheppey: Swaleside 50 76 47 
			 Shepton Mallet 1 3 3 
			 Shrewsbury 17 22 24 
			 Stafford 69 74 43 
			 Stocken 62 40 65 
			 Stoke Heath 410 138 108 
			 Styal 32 29 24 
			 Sudbury 0 0 2 
			 Swansea 23 32 16 
			 Swinfen Hall 89 168 191 
			 Thameside — — 107 
			 Thorn Cross 16 22 13 
			 Usk\Prescoed 9 3 0 
			 Verne 13 27 22 
			 Wakefield 34 25 31 
			 Wandsworth 67 72 52 
			 Warren Hill 273 174 231 
			 Wayland 68 97 116 
			 Wealstun 46 52 55 
			 Wellingborough 78 85 56 
			 Werrington 148 165 192 
			 Wetherby 433 507 439 
			 Whatton 10 8 11 
			 Whitemoor 32 36 17 
			 Winchester 43 56 45 
			 Wolds 31 40 39 
			 Woodhill 76 90 110 
			 Wormwood Scrubs 137 77 96 
			 Wymott 39 37 50 
			 Escort Areas 4 5 8 
			 Total 11,244 12,316 11,584

Prisons: Crimes of Violence

Nicholas Soames: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice how many assaults on (a) prisoners and (b) prison staff there were (i) in HM Prison Lewes and (ii) on average in all adult prisons in each of the last three years.

Jeremy Wright: The National Offender Management Service (NOMS) and the Prison Officers Association (POA) are jointly committed to a zero tolerance approach to assaults on staff, visitors and prisoners.
	NOMS takes the issue of assaults in prisons very seriously. It currently has systems in place to deal with perpetrators quickly and robustly, with serious incidents referred to the police for prosecution.
	NOMS is committed to exploring options to continue to improve how violence is tackled in prisons to keep both staff and prisoners safe. It is currently looking at the policy and practice of the management of violence.
	There are a number of factors that affect the number of assault incidents at any individual establishment. These include, but are not restricted to, the size of the population held at the prison, the type and role of the prison and the gender of the prisoners accommodated. For example, younger, male prisoners are more likely to be involved in an assault than other prisoners. Differences in population size of establishments mean it would not necessarily be correct to conclude that a prison with a higher number of incidents than the average is a less safe prison; nor that a prison with a lower number of incidents than the average is a safer prison.
	Statistics on the number of assaults on staff for each prison establishment are published on an annual basis in the Safety in Custody statistics bulletin, published at:
	https://www.gov.uk/government/collections/safety-in-custody-statistics
	They can be found in Table 3.15 of the annual tables accompanying each quarterly release.

Prisons: Drugs

Paul Flynn: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice how many and what proportion of jails are free of illegal drug use.

Jeremy Wright: Prisons have achieved considerable success in reducing the level of drug misuse against a background of a continuing high demand for drugs. Drug misuse as measured by random mandatory drug testing (MDT) has fallen 17.4 percentage points over the past 16 years despite the fact that more drugs are being tested for.
	MDT, which runs to standardised procedures across prisons, has three main aims, one of which is to supply detailed information on patterns of drugs-misuse in prisons and is used by the National Offender Management Service to measure the level of drug misuse in prisons.
	A single episode of drug misuse over a defined period, strictly interpreted, would deprive a prison of drug free status. Prisons can perform very well in keeping drugs out of prison but technically not be drug free.
	Over the 2012-13 financial year, three prisons in England and Wales reported no drug misuse as measured by random MDT. 96 prisons in England and Wales reported no drug misuse, as measured by random MDT, in at least one month of the 2012-13 financial year.
	The data in this answer have been drawn from live administrative data systems which may be amended at any time. Although care is taken when processing and analysing the returns, the detail collected is subject to the inaccuracies inherent in any large scale recording system. The data are not subject to audit.

Probation

Elfyn Llwyd: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice 
	(1)  what assessment he has made of the risks posed to the Transforming Rehabilitation Probation programme by (a) insufficient and (b) delayed guidance from his Department;
	(2)  what assessment he has made of the risk posed to the Transforming Rehabilitation Probation programme of a failure of the programme to be delivered either in scope or within the timescale set by Ministers;
	(3)  what assessment he has made of the risks posed to the Transforming Rehabilitation Probation programme of insufficient Ministry of Justice capacity to manage the process due to its scale and a lack of coordination between different Ministry of Justice work streams;
	(4)  what assessment he has made of the risks posed to the Transforming Rehabilitation Probation programme of insufficient attention and support from his Department due to other demands;
	(5)  what assessment he has made of the risks posed to the Transforming Rehabilitation Probation programme by the scale and speed of the programme making it unachievable or achievable only superficially;
	(6)  what assessment he has made of the risks posed to the Transforming Rehabilitation Probation programme of a failure of poorly designed operational processes;
	(7)  what assessment he has made of the risks posed to the Transforming Rehabilitation Probation programme of a failure of poor engagement with trusts and failure to take on board their views;
	(8)  what assessment he has made of the risks posed to the Transforming Rehabilitation Probation programme of insufficient testing of operational design;
	(9)  what assessment he has made of the risks posed to the Transforming Rehabilitation Probation programme of a failure due to a lack of resources and preparation.

Jeremy Wright: We are introducing radical reforms to the way offenders are rehabilitated, to finally tackle our stubbornly high reoffending rates that currently see almost half of all prisoners commit further crime within a year of release. Nevertheless, the Department is overseeing the reforms in a careful way which ensures public safety remains our top priority. We have developed the design of the new system through consultation and engagement, and we have taken on board the experience from the PbR pilot programmes across government to ensure lessons learned are being applied.
	We are delivering reform at pace, nevertheless we are also testing the design of the new system rigorously to ensure the changes are introduced safely and effectively.

Probation

Elfyn Llwyd: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice what the cost per annum to the Probation Service in England and Wales is of supervising a person on licence for (a) 12 months, (b) 24 months and (c) 36 months.

Jeremy Wright: Probation unit costs are published on an annual basis by the Ministry of Justice at the following page of the Gov.uk website:
	https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/prison-and-probation-trusts-performance-statistics-201213